Russia updates its 2020 ND, reaffirming nuclear weapons' role in deterring enemies and defining potential use scenarios.
- Nuclear Doctrine: It defines the purpose, development, and deployment of nuclear weapons, as well as their intended use.
Russia's Revised Nuclear Doctrine (ND)
- Expanded definition of nuclear attack: Any aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear state, supported by a nuclear state, is treated as a joint attack, justifying nuclear retaliation.
- It explicitly targets countries allowing their territories to be used for aggression against Russia.
- Lowering nuclear response threshold: Russian ND expanded from defending state's existence to protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Belarus formally placed under Russia’s nuclear umbrella.
- New risks triggering potential nuclear response include: Expansion of military coalitions & Large-scale military exercises near Russian borders; Positioning of enemy military infrastructure closer to Russian borders.
Potential Impact of Russia’s revised ND
- Increased Nuclear escalation: The revised ND increases the chance of using Tactical Nuclear warfare.
- Weakening the Non-Proliferation Regime: The revised doctrine may enhance difficulty in persuading states to abandon nuclear weapons programs.
- Increasing distrust: Russia's lowered nuclear threshold and expanded definition of "extreme circumstances" could exacerbate distrust between Russia and the US.
India's nuclear doctrine (2003):
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