Meaningful international dialogue to build international trust, reduce nuclear risks, and advance disarmament

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BASIC is an independent, non-profit think tank working to safeguard humanity and Earth’s ecosystem from nuclear risks and interconnected security threats, for generations to come.

Foundation Year

Since 1986, we’ve been at the forefront of global efforts to build trust and cooperation on some of the world’s most progressive global peace and security initiatives.

Programmes

BASIC has four active programmes, each offering innovative paths to support the global objectives of nuclear disarmament and arms control.

Our Latest

See our latest news, analysis, and announcements below:

No More “Black Saturdays”: Learning the Right Lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis

In a new piece for BASIC, Non-Resident Senior Fellow Professor Nicholas J. Wheeler and Syed Ali Zia Jaffery, Deputy Director of the Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research at the University of Lahore, warn that today’s nuclear rivals may be losing sight of the fact that preventing nuclear catastrophe hinges on cooperation rather than brinkmanship. India and Pakistan both claim success in their May 2025 crisis, risking a higher baseline of escalation, while Russia and NATO may be misjudging their ability to control escalation.

Rethinking Escalation in South Asia

This article is based on BASIC’s latest report, Addressing Future Nuclear Crisis Scenarios in South Asia through a Responsibility-Based Approach, and subsequent report launch event co-hosted by Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research (CSSPR) at the University of Lahore and BASIC’s Responsibilities and Global Governance Programme.

Updating Reykjavík’s Lessons for Unlocking Progress, Recognising the Space-Nuclear Nexus

In our series marking the 40th anniversary of the historic Reykjavík Summit, Policy Fellows Dr Matthew Hartwell and Ching Wei Sooi explain that nuclear and space risks are now deeply intertwined, yet still tackled separately. That blind spot is stifling the diplomacy and dialogue needed to keep today’s rivalries stable.

Video: Nuclear Transparency Inventory (NUTRI) Launch Webinar

On 13 October 2026, BASIC hosted the official launch of the Nuclear Transparency Inventory (NUTRI) website with a panel of distinguished experts. The launch webinar included a deep dive into the origins of the project, the motivations and methodology behind the data, future plans for the project, and was followed by an audience Q&A.

Report: Governing Military AI: Designing Meaningful Human Control in AI-Enabled Decision-Making

As states expand their use of AI in military decision-making, is being “looped in” enough to ensure that a human can exercise proper judgement and control? Drawing on 32 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders across 14 countries, this report argues for a context-sensitive and risk-proportionate approach to Human-Machine Interaction (HMI).

Reported, Denied, and Suspected: Implications of a Case of Possible Laboratory-Acquired Plague Infection in the Russian Federation

BASIC’s latest Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Brief, “Reported, Denied, and Suspected”, by guest contributor Péter Marton, examines the recent death of a worker at Russia’s Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute and what the official response means for global biosecurity.

Video: NPT Monitor Launch: A Guided Walkthrough & Panel Discussion

On 3 September 2026, BASIC’s Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Programme (NPD) hosted a live webinar to mark the launch of the NPT Monitor, our free tool tracking how States are implementing their commitments and obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Report: Nuclear Weapon Harm Reduction: A Framework

This Framework is the first publication from BASIC’s Scoping British Nuclear Weapons Harms project. Funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, this project continues previous work undertaken by BASIC and others on nuclear weapon harm reduction, using the United Kingdom as a case study of a nuclear-armed state.

US-Saudi Nuclear Deal: Atoms, Alliances and Ambiguity

In the third publication in our series, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Briefs (NPD Briefs), guest contributor Shaza Arif unpacks the long term implications of the proposed US-Saudi nuclear deal.

Analysis

We provide analysis on the latest debates in the field of nuclear disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation.

No More “Black Saturdays”: Learning the Right Lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis

Rethinking Escalation in South Asia

Updating Reykjavík’s Lessons for Unlocking Progress, Recognising the Space-Nuclear Nexus

Publications

Report: Governing Military AI: Designing Meaningful Human Control in AI-Enabled Decision-Making

Report: Nuclear Weapon Harm Reduction: A Framework

Report: Nuclear Medicine — Meeting Future Global Needs

On 12th February 2026, the UK India Nuclear Network hosted a one-day roundtable at Imperial College London, convened by Professor William Nuttall. A global group of participants gathered to exchange knowledge and gain a better collective understanding of the steps required to meet future nuclear medicine needs, especially in emerging economies.

Events

News: BASIC Launches NPT Monitor to Spur Transparency Around States’ Nuclear Commitments

BASIC is pleased to announce the launch of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Monitor, a free web tool to enhance and simplify the monitoring of countries’ progress on the landmark 1970 treaty. It provides clear, evidence-based information on how states are implementing the 2010 NPT Action Plan, tracking progress across the NPT’s three pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technologies.

Report: Rethinking European Security: Istanbul Workshop

In February 2025, BASIC hosted a track 1.5 workshop in Istanbul, Türkiye, to discuss the present and future of European security. The workshop was the fourth of five regional workshops organised in fulfilment of the aims of the “Turning Point: Realising a Sustainable Security Architecture for Europe” project, referred to as “Rethinking European Security”.

Report: Rethinking European Security: Vienna Workshop

In May 2024, BASIC hosted a track 2 workshop in Vienna, Austria – with in-person and virtual participation – to discuss the present and future of European security. The workshop was the second of five regional workshops organised in fulfilment of the aims of the “Turning Point: Realising a Sustainable Security Architecture for Europe” project, referred to as “Rethinking European Security”.

Explore our Programmes

BASIC believes in making progress on nuclear disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation through multiple complementary approaches. We continuously develop our programmes – streams of research – through sustained engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, collectively searching for the art of the possible.

Our current programmes are listed below.

Risk Reduction

Responsibilities and Global Governance

Non-Proliferation and Disarmament

Inclusive International Security

We think, we write

BASIC is developing new approaches to overcome states’ dependency on the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, which blocks global nuclear disarmament and drives proliferation. We engage diverse perspectives, encourage empathy across states, and broaden the context of debate. We have an established reputation for non-partisan, non-judgemental, cross-cultural engagement and for seeking common ground.

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