Avoiding Broken Arrows: Nuclear Assets

Broken Arrow refers to an accidental event that involves nuclear weapons, warheads or components, but which does not create the risk of nuclear war. These include:

Accidental or unexplained nuclear detonation.

Non-nuclear detonation or burning of a nuclear weapon.

Radioactive contamination.

Loss in transit of nuclear asset with or without its carrying vehicle.

Jettisoning of a nuclear weapon or nuclear component.

Public hazard, actual or implied.

Not much is known in public domain about India's Nuclear weaponisation programme or its grassroot functioning or safety aspects. But in the wake of disturbing news reports from other places, newly- created Indian Strategic Forces command and other agencies responsible for safe handling, custody, utilisation, etc, of our military nuclear assets must take neccessary steps outlined in the article at: Hindustan Times:Avoiding broken arrows

Maj Gen Raj Mehta (Retd)