India has 50 to 100 nuclear devices: US task force

An independent task force co-sponsored by the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society has claimed that India possesses between 50 to 100 nuclear devices and can fire nuclear weapons against targets in Pakistan by French Mirages and Soviet SU-30 fighter-bombers.

The task force headed by former US Ambassador to India Frank G Wisner II, former US Ambassador to Pakistan Nicholas Platt and the President of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, Marshall M Bouton, further goes on to say that New Delhi is working on a longer range missile - the Agni plus capable of striking major urban centres in eastern China.

India is also reported to be developing a submarine-based delivery system as the third leg of its nuclear triad, besides developing a submarine-based launch capability.

Barring some sort of South Asian arms agreement, India and Pakistan are almost certain to enhance their nuclear weapons capabilities and missile-delivery systems in response to what each perceives the other is doing, The News quotes the report of the task force as saying.

The task force believes that the absence of a India-Pakistan nuclear discussions and confidence building measures the threat of any major conflict going nuclear remains real.

The Bush Administration has not pressed on this front except to urge stricter Indian controls over the exports of materials and technology that could be used for WMD.

Islamabad/Washington, December 30, 2003 (ANI)