Weather patterns in a neighbouring state can be affected by experiments conducted on own territory. China needs to clear suspicions that have been aroused by its weather modification actions.
Report of the IDSA-Indian Pugwash Society Working Group on Space Security
Publisher: Academic Foundation 2009
The objective of this report, prepared by a Working Group comprising leading experts in the field is to provide a multi-disciplinary analysis including the technological, legal, political, diplomatic, and security dimensions.
So far the Chinese have carried out ten nuclear tests which include one underground test, one test of a nuclear-tipped missile and three thermo-nuclear tests. In other words, the Chinese are on a comprehensive weapons programme, which will give them thermo-nuclear warheads from the megaton range down to small yield nuclear weapons of a few kiloton range and even fractional kiloton range. They are now engaged in improving the compactness of their warheads.
It is a dream project not only for India’s space research organization (ISRO) but for all Indians. With the successful launch of the Moon Mission, ISRO had put India into the bracket of deep-space achievers. The world took serious note of India’ space programme when in October 2008 ISRO successfully launched its satellite Chandrayan-1 towards the moon. If the 1998 Pokharan nuclear tests had helped India demonstrate its ‘hard power’ status, the success of the moon mission indirectly played a significant role towards establishing the ‘soft power’ credentials of the country.
This destruction of CWs under the watchful eyes of international inspectors by strictly following a declared roadmap could be said to be a feather in the cap for India’s overall disarmament and arms control efforts.
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NT) are emerging fields of science and technology that are witnessing the emergence of an increasing number of new ideas and applications. Many states are seriously looking at military applications of this technology. This paper analyses the impact of NT on defence and looks at its current and futuristic applicability for military purposes, as well as their likely impact on arms control.
One year ago, in February 2008, Iran launched a sounding rocket into outer space to mark the opening of its first space centre. This rocket essentially belonged to the ‘category’ of instrument-carrying crafts. Such crafts are designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during their sub-orbital flight. Within a year, on 3 February 2009, Iran successfully launched its first domestically manufactured satellite "Omid" (Hope), which was carried into space by the home-built Safir-2 space rocket.
China’s Experiments with Weather Modification: A Cause for Concern
Weather patterns in a neighbouring state can be affected by experiments conducted on own territory. China needs to clear suspicions that have been aroused by its weather modification actions.