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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.
BASIC has four active programmes, each offering innovative paths to support the global objectives of nuclear disarmament and arms control.
See our latest news, analysis, and announcements below:
In the latest piece in our 40th anniversary series, Nicholas Wheeler, Non-Resident Senior Fellow and Professor of International Relations at the University of Birmingham argues that judging the 1986 Reykjavík Summit by its failure to produce a deal misses its lasting achievement.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
We provide analysis on the latest debates in the field of nuclear disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation.
In the latest piece in our 40th anniversary series, Nicholas Wheeler, Non-Resident Senior Fellow and Professor of International Relations at the University of Birmingham argues that judging the 1986 Reykjavík Summit by its failure to produce a deal misses its lasting achievement.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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”.
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”.
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.
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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