Many nations around the world today possess, or have the means to procure weapons of mass destruction. They may be nuclear, chemical, biological other types of weapons, which can be delivered through a variety of means. It is mainly the more powerful wealthy countries that have such weapons although some poorer nations are also acquiring them. In recent years, there have been movements and treaties to help control the flow and deployment of arms, be they landmines, small arms, or weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear weapons.

As the nuclear weapon states continue to reduce their nuclear arsenals and international efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons are reinvigorated, South Asia remains a unique region almost entirely unencumbered by nuclear arms control. Nuclear weapons and arms control in South Asia after the test Ban sheds new light on the risks of the current standoff, the hidden costs of the nuclear options, and the domestic sources of the regions inertia. Since the mid 1950s China has made strong efforts within its limited economic and technical capabilities to develop a modest nuclear force and related delivery systems.