Dr Rishi Paul

Senior Policy Analyst

Dr Rishi Paul is the senior nuclear policy analyst at BASIC, supporting the overall management and growth of the think tank and directing the Southern Asia project on nuclear responsibilities, a pioneering initiative exploring India and Pakistan’s responsibilities around nuclear weapons. His research also focuses on the trajectory of India and Pakistan’s nuclear policy and capabilities, especially its effect upon maintaining escalation control through their evolving deterrent relationship. This research is geared towards a critical examination of the thresholds for nuclear escalation and the role of nuclear responsibilities in managing risk reduction.

Rishi’s latest article (forthcoming), entitled, “Tiptoeing around Nuclear Responsibilities — India’s NFU as a Mona Lisa Smile, examines the belief that India’s No First Use of nuclear weapons is congruent with a drive to clearly articulate a set of nuclear responsibilities, but also symptomatic of a failed attempt to formulate a credible nuclear trajectory and associated vision for deterrence. Recent publications for BASIC include, ‘Foregrounding India’s Nuclear Responsibilities: Nuclear weapons possession and disarmament in South Asia’ and ‘Indian and Pakistani nuclear responsibilities.’

Rishi has addressed the NATO Defence College in Rome, provided media commentary for international news outlets and recently delivered written evidence to the House of Lords, Select Committee on International Relations, “Rising nuclear risk, disarmament and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.”

Rishi holds both an MA in Strategic Studies and a PhD from the University of Leeds. Whilst an academic researcher at the University of Leeds, his doctorate successfully examined the dynamics of U.S. nuclear strategy and the challenges posed by incorporating ballistic missile defence into strategic doctrine.

Expertise:

• Nuclear deterrence dynamics
• Nuclear thresholds and escalation control
• Missile defence
• Nuclear non-proliferation and arms control
• US foreign and security policy
• India and Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine, posture and diplomacy
• Stepping stones to disarmament and nuclear risk reduction

Contact Rishi