India and the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty: Policy Options
Abstract The international community inside and outside the Conference of Disarmament is underscoring the need for concluding a fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT). The Indian government, for a long period, has been sponsoring the idea. Notwithstanding the international stagnation, the issue has been instigating periodic debate in India on the Indian approach. The periodic revival of the issue requires that India revisit its policy on fissile material production as well as its approach towards a possible FMCT. This article examines the question: should India's approach to conclude an FMCT be within the UN institutional framework? The new international reality is pushing for a new context, new realignments and a fresh outlook for an FMCT. India should take its own time to support conclusion of an FMCT so that its national interests and security are not adversely affected.
India ’ s Military Plutonium Inventory , End 2004
Estimating the size of India’s inventory of separated weapon-grade plutonium has become more difficult following its nuclear tests in May 1998. India treats this number as highly classified, partly because such estimates provide a direct indication of the number of nuclear weapons it may possess. The purpose of this report is to summarize estimates of its stock of weapon-grade plutonium. A companion report discusses India’s highly enriched uranium stock.
Lao People's Democratic Republic.

 This discussion of Lao People's Democratic Republic focuses on: the history of the country's demographic situation; the government's overall approach to population problems; population data systems and development planning; institutional arrangements for the integration of population within development planning; population size, growth, and natural increase; morbidity and mortality; fertility; international migration; and spatial distribution. Demographic data have been relatively scanty, primarily because of the total absence of a population census and because of the lack of an effective data gathering infrastructure. UN estimates indicated a total population of 1.9 million in 1950, which increased to 2.4 and 3.0 million in the next 2 decades. The rate of growth increased from 1.9% during 1950-55 to 2.4% during 1960-65 but declined to 2.2% during 1970-75. Estimates of the crude birthrate remained relatively unchanged, varying from 44.2 births/1000 during 1950-55 to 44.0 during 1960-65, and to 44.6 during 1970-75. The crude death rate declined from 24.9 deaths/1000 in the early 1950s to 22.8/1000 during 1970-75. The country has continued to have a predominantly rural population with 92.8% of the population living in rural areas in the 1950s, 92.1% by 1960, and 90.4% by 1970. The government consideres the growth of the population a necessity for the effective utilization of the country's resources and for the achievement of national development objectives. The government recognizes that a high fertility rate would result in greater maternal and child health problems and feels that a policy of child spacing, combined with a high priority for health care, will be more likely to help in achieving the population-related goals of the country. The government has recently made serious efforts to improve the infrastructure for data collection. The formulation of a comprehensive population policy is not considered important in achieving national development objectives, but the role of population in development planning is generally recognized. The population size and rate of growth are generally considered to be too low. Morbidity and mortality rates are considered unacceptable by the government, especially the high rate of infant mortality -- 135/1000 during 1975-80. Fertility rates have remained relatively constant over the past few decades, and the government's policy in regard to fertility is to maintain the fertility rates to have steady population growth. There has been no immigration into the country in recent years, and it is assumed that the levels are considered not significant and satisfactory. For spatial distribution, the government's main concerns are the resettlement of war displacd and mountain persons.
