• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
DemocracyIran
  • Donate
The China–India Nuclear Crossroads
Book

The China–India Nuclear Crossroads

Leading Chinese and Indian experts examine the political, military, and technical factors that affect Sino-Indian nuclear relations, providing a comprehensive framework through which China and India can pursue enhanced cooperation.

Link Copied
By Lora Saalman
Published on Sep 25, 2012

Additional Links

Kindle - $9.99Paperback - $19.95Hardback - $49.95Nook - $10.39iTunes - $9.99
Program mobile hero image

Program

Nuclear Policy

The Nuclear Policy Program aims to reduce the risk of nuclear war. Our experts diagnose acute risks stemming from technical and geopolitical developments, generate pragmatic solutions, and use our global network to advance risk-reduction policies. Our work covers deterrence, disarmament, arms control, nonproliferation, and nuclear energy.

Learn More

Source: Washington

Global power is shifting to Asia. The U.S. military is embarking on an American “pivot” to the Indo-Pacific region, and the bulk of global arms spending is directed toward Asian theaters. India and Pakistan are thought to be building up their nuclear arsenals while questions persist about China’s potential to “sprint to parity.” China remains by far the world’s largest market for new nuclear energy production, and India aspires to be on a similar trajectory.

Despite these trends, The China-India Nuclear Crossroads is the first serious book by leading Chinese and Indian experts to examine the political, military, and technical factors that affect Sino-Indian nuclear relations. In this book, editor and translator Lora Saalman presents a comprehensive framework through which China and India can pursue enhanced cooperation and minimize the unintended consequences of their security dilemmas. | 中文
 

Advance Praise

“The place to start for anyone interested in the atomic dimension of the China-India relationship and its profound impact on Asian security and the global nuclear order.”
—C. Raja Mohan, Member of India’s National Security Advisory Board and Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation

“A first and crucial attempt to comprehensively compare Chinese and Indian nuclear perspectives.”
—Shen Dingli, Executive Dean of the Institute of International Studies and Director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University

“Provides a better understanding of the security perceptions driving China and India’s nuclear strategies...a must read.”
—Shyam Saran, Senior Fellow at the Center for Policy Research and former counselor in the Embassy of India in Beijing, China

“Serves as a communication bridge between Chinese and Indian scholars.”
—Zheng Ruixiang, Senior Researcher at the China Institute of International Studies and China’s former consul general in Mumbai, India

About the Author

Lora Saalman

Former Nonresident Associate, Nuclear Policy Program

Saalman was a nonresident associate in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her research focuses on China’s nuclear and strategic policies toward India, Russia, and arms control.

    Recent Work

  • Paper
    Balancing Chinese Interests on North Korea and Iran

      Lora Saalman

  • In The Media
    Why Beijing Stands by Pyongyang

      Lora Saalman

Lora Saalman
Former Nonresident Associate, Nuclear Policy Program
Lora Saalman
South AsiaIndiaPakistanEast AsiaChinaTaiwanSecurityMilitaryNuclear PolicyArms Control

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  • Article
    India’s Press Note 3 Gamble: Opening the FDI Door to China

    On March 10, 2026, India’s Union Cabinet approved amendments to Press Note 3, a regulation that mandated government approval on all foreign direct investment (FDI) from countries sharing a land border with India. This amendment raises questions primarily about whether its stated benefits will materialize and if the risks have been adequately weighed. This piece will address the same.

      Konark Bhandari

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    What Does Nuclear Proliferation in East Asia Mean for Russia?

    Troubled by the growing salience of nuclear debates in East Asia, Moscow has responded in its usual way: with condemnation and threats. But by exacerbating insecurity, Russia is forcing South Korea and Japan to consider radical security options.

      James D.J. Brown

  • Commentary
    The Coming of Age of India’s Nuclear Triad

    The induction of INS Aridhaman, which features several technological enhancements, now gives India the third nuclear ballistic missile submarine to ensure continuous at-sea deterrent.

      Dinakar Peri

  • Vietnam's Top Leader To Lam meets with young representatives from China and Vietnam participating in the "Red Study Tours" at the Great Hall of the People on April 15, 2026 in Beijing, China. T
    Commentary
    Why Vietnam Is Swinging in China’s Direction

    Hanoi and Beijing have long treated each other as distant cousins rather than comrades in arms. That might be changing as both sides draw closer to hedge against uncertainty and America’s erratic behavior.

      • Nguyen-khac-giang

      Nguyễn Khắc Giang

  • Duterte stands with his fist raised and a crowd of people stand behind him
    Paper
    Duterte’s Populist Foreign Policy as Illiberal Defiance: Consequences and Prospects

    In the Philippines, Duterte-era discourse emphasizing sovereignty, anti-Western skepticism, and strongman diplomacy mirrors tenets of populist foreign policy around the world.

      Aries A. Arugay

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.