The debate around India’s No First Use (NFU) nuclear policy has resurfaced following President Donald Trump’s disclosure regarding Pakistan’s recent underground nuclear test.

The revelation, which has shaken regional stability conversations, has led several defence experts to call for a fresh reassessment of India’s nuclear doctrine in light of evolving geopolitical threats.

Lieutenant General Rakesh Sharma, Distinguished Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation, emphasised during a televised discussion on India Connect that the time has come to revisit the NFU commitment.

He noted that India’s strategic environment has fundamentally changed over the last two decades, underlining the need for flexible and responsive deterrence policies.

He explained that the modalities of warfare—traditional and non-traditional alike—have undergone a complete transformation. Modern warfare no longer adheres to the conventional combat frameworks of earlier decades.

Instead, it now involves sophisticated technological warfare, grey-zone conflicts, and multi-domain operations, including cyber, space, and hybrid tactics. In such an environment, Lt. Gen. Sharma contended that a rigid adherence to NFU might limit India’s strategic options in the face of pre-emptive or unconventional aggression.

The discussion gained further weight in the aftermath of remarks made by ten Pakistani ministers following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, where provocative statements were interpreted as veiled nuclear threats.

Such political rhetoric, coupled with Islamabad’s alleged nuclear activities, has heightened Indian defence circles’ concerns over Pakistan’s stability and command control arrangements. Lt. Gen. Sharma stated that when adversary leadership openly alludes to escalation, India must be prepared to ensure credible deterrence through both declaratory and operational postures.

He argued that India’s established nuclear doctrine, adopted in 2003, was framed under different global conditions. At that time, the primary objective was to project India as a responsible nuclear power committed to restraint while maintaining a credible deterrent.

However, with contemporary developments—including Pakistan’s tactical nuclear weapons, China’s expanding arsenal, and potential trilateral coordination between Beijing and Islamabad—the original assumptions behind the NFU framework may no longer hold entirely true.

Lt. Gen. Sharma pointed out that any re-examination should not necessarily imply abandoning NFU outright, but rather updating the doctrine to reflect present realities. He maintained that strategic ambiguity in certain areas can strengthen deterrence without compromising India’s moral position.

A flexible doctrine, in his view, would allow policymakers and the military to respond promptly to any existential threat or intelligence-based indicators of imminent hostile action.

The veteran also drew attention to the technological strides both adversaries have made in delivery systems, including hypersonic assets, long-range cruise missiles, and dual-capable platforms. These have blurred distinctions between conventional and nuclear thresholds, demanding a recalibration of India’s nuclear posture and command structures.

Strategic analysts note that President Trump’s comments about Pakistan’s alleged nuclear experimentation have reopened fault lines across South Asia.

The shift in Pakistan’s nuclear profile—if confirmed—could lead India to enhance its readiness levels, conduct deeper reviews of second-strike capabilities, and possibly reconsider the declaratory aspect of NFU for operational fluidity.

The evolving discourse suggests that India’s leadership faces a delicate balancing act between upholding its long-standing commitment to restraint and ensuring that deterrence remains both convincing and credible amid changing global nuclear dynamics.

As Lt. Gen. Sharma underscored, national security doctrines must remain adaptive instruments, responsive to the unpredictable and volatile nature of contemporary geopolitics.

Based On TOI Video Report