Book Review: Prashant Jha. 2014. Battles of the New Republic: A Contemporary History of Nepal
| Date | 01 December 2015 |
| Published date | 01 December 2015 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2347797015601920 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
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there are problems with implementation due to the factors such as corruption and
limitations of state capacity. India did not enforce the no-fly zones over the
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Pakistan gained notoriety for the prolifera-
tion of nuclear weapons through the AQ Khan network (pp. 130–134). Despite
setbacks and lapses, both India and Pakistan maintain safeguards to prevent
leakage of nuclear technology. The author alludes that Pakistan’s situation is more
precarious given the existence of several militant organizations in the country
and the rise of secessionist movements in Baluchistan. Chakma’s final analysis
section deals with confidence building and arms limitations in South Asia. He
highly doubts any progress in arms limitation treaties due to the intense and com-
plex politico-strategic considerations including internal parochialism as well as
the role of extra-regional powers and the formative nature of deterrence, which
has not yet stabilized (p. 153).
South Asia’s Nuclear Security provides a detailed account of the nuclear security
predicament in South Asia. From the perspectives of both the optimists and
pessimists, Chakma elaborates on the multitude of factors that have contributed
to the ever-tumultuous Indo-Pakistani security relations. Each chapter contains
a rich bibliographical reference section highlighting a very detailed analysis of
the nuclear issue in the region. Yet, some sections of the book do seem redundant
given the repeated description of the conflicts between India and Pakistan.
Regardless, this book offers readers a rich history as well as analysis of the nuclear
security situation in South Asia, furthering the case for the importance of studying
complex deterrence and its implications for regional as well as global security.
Chakma provides an important and prominent case for the advancement of
sub-systemic approaches to security, highlighting the need in understanding
sub- systemic security dynamics as well.
Bibek Chand
Stephen J. Green School of International and Public Affairs
Florida International University, USA
E-mail: bchan016@fiu.edu
Prashant Jha. 2014. Battles of the New Republic: A Contemporary History of
Nepal. London, UK: Hurst & Company. 358 pp. IBSN: 978-1-84904-459-2
DOI: 10.1177/2347797015601920
Nepal is firmly rooted in the imagination of many in the West. It is the location
of Mount Everest and...
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