1、Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS Web96-631 FJuly 17, 1996Indian and Pakistani Nuclear Tests?Potential Test Ban Risks and Technical BenefitsJonathan MedaliaSpecialist in National DefenseForeign Affairs and National Defense DivisionS
2、ummaryDuring the negotiations on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Indiablocked the draft treaty from becoming an official Conference on Disarmamentdocument; subsequently, India and Pakistan have refused to sign the treaty.Nonetheless, entry into force requires ratification by 44 specified n
3、ations with nuclearknow-how; the list includes India and Pakistan. India holds that the CTBT must be astep toward disarmament, and insists that a treaty include a commitment by the fivenuclear states to eliminate their nuclear weapons by a set time. Pakistan has declinedto join the treaty unless Ind
4、ia does, although this position was under review in mid-1998This impasse could doom the treaty.By not signing the CTBT, India and Pakistan preserved their option to conductnuclear weapon tests. While they incurred diplomatic costs by testing, a test programwould appear to offer India in particular l
