Policy Brief

Managing Escalations: Upgrading CBMs

by: Prof. Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal

Date: March 22, 2025

The nuclear competition between India and Pakistan continues to shape the South Asia’s strategic landscape, exacerbated by technological advancements, geopolitical shifts, and a lack of sustained dialogue. While both countries have established Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to reduce nuclear risks, these agreements have stagnated, failing to address emerging threats such as cyber vulnerabilities, hypersonic weapons, and inadvertent missile launches. The absence of crisis communication and evolving deterrence postures further heighten the risk of miscalculation. As both nations continue to expand their nuclear capabilities, revisiting and modernising CBMs is essential to ensuring strategic stability and preventing accidental escalation.