The theory of Mutually Assured Destruction or MAD was coined by American social scientists after the Second World War, when the USA had already devastated Japan with two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 6th and 9th of August 1945. The post-war period resulted in a frantic arms race between the USA and the USSR and the start of the war of ideologies that is the Cold War. During the Cold War, the entire world was divided into two distinct camps that is the communist camp, led by the USSR, and the capitalist camp, called the free world, led by the USA.
During the period of 1945 to 1990 the world lived under the deadly fear of an atomic war but at the same time the leaders of both political camps believed in the theory of mutually assured destruction that is a belief that in an nuclear war there will be no winners and no losers because both sides will not only lose but the human race will cease to exist because of the terrible consequences of an atomic war and as such an atomic weapon has never been used since the end of WW11. During the last 78 years India and Pakistan have clashed many times in full blown wars in 1965, 1971 and smaller confrontations Like Kargill, Siachin and the Latest Pahalgam incident in 2025 all wars have been inconclusive without a clear winner or loser The world witnessed the war of words between the two nuclear countries over the last several weeks, after the tragic event in Kashmir where 26 tourists were killed by terrorists.
India called it a killing inspired by Pakistan-sponsored terror groups without any material evidence, while Pakistan denied the accusation vehemently, demanding an independent international enquiry. India refused to listen to the voice of reason and the Indian Government. Led by their Pakistan-hating Prime Minister demanded a fitting response and revenge to target the terrorist groups and their sponsors, meaning the state of Pakistan, even if it required the use of any weapons in the Indian arsenal. The media in India joined the ruling party, more vociferously, to not only denounce the terror incident but also call for retaliatory attacks, and not just the terrorists, but also the alleged sponsor, Pakistan. Without any shred of evidence.
An atomic war between India and Pakistan could produce global climate change and threaten the food supply of the entire world, and this war could kill about two billion people in both countries through starvation in two years after the war
The Indian fanatics seem to have forgotten that both countries are now armed with about 170/180 nuclear warheads, and any armed conflict could lead to a nuclear exchange, resulting in the annihilation of both countries and the end of human civilisation in this part of the world. Saber rattling and war mongering are practiced by weak and unpopular dictators to garner support for their failing regime and poor leadership, but it is not expected of a country like India that shouts from the rooftops that it is the biggest democracy in the world. In democratic countries, political sagacity usually rules over mob emotions, being demonstrated by the Indian electronic and print media.
India and Pakistan are very close neighbors with land borders and common rivers in very close proximity. The nuclear fallout from a bomb dropped anywhere in the subcontinent will damage both countries. A nuclear exchange between these two countries will ignite fires and smoke in cities and industrial areas. That smoke will rapidly rise into the stratosphere, the atmospheric layer above the troposphere where we live, which has no moisture to clear the smoke.
Research has proved that the smoke will block out the sun, and the Earth’s surface below will become cold, dark, and dry. The immediate effect will be that no agriculture will be possible for many years in the entire region, leading to a possible global famine. Today, both India and Pakistan have a deadly nuclear dagger pointed at their throats, and any misadventure could result in an atomic catastrophe. We do have another choice if the superpowers led by the USA could come to their senses and take their fingers off the nuclear button and negotiate with Russia to dismantle their nuclear arsenal too, only then will they have the moral right to demand disarmament from countries like India, Pakistan, and Iran. The results of a nuclear war today are too horrific and terrible to even imagine. According to an article in the prestigious Scientific American, an atomic war between India and Pakistan could produce global climate change and threaten the food supply of the entire world, and this war could kill about two billion people in both countries through starvation in two years after the war. The theory of deterrence is another myth believed by many.
The theory that our enemy will not attack because we possess nuclear weapons, and this is not Mutually Assured Destruction MAD it can be called Self Assured Destruction, or the theory of SAD. A nuclear war between India and Pakistan would cause millions of immediate deaths in the region and have severe global consequences. As the 2022 Nature Food study by Xia, Robock et al shows, even a "limited" nuclear war between the two countries could trigger a nuclear winter, drastically disrupting global agriculture, leading to famine that could kill more than two billion people. No country would be spared. No government could protect its people from the consequences.
This is exactly why nuclear weapons must be eliminated. ICAN, or the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, calls on both governments to show utmost restraint and de-escalate, and calls on the international community to redouble efforts toward disarmament through the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Both nations should immediately commit not to use nuclear weapons in this conflict. However, the only enduring way to guarantee these weapons are never used is to eliminate them.”