Minimum Credible Deterrence (MCD)

(Officially named N-deterrence) is the defense and strategic principle on which

the atomic weapons program of Pakistan is based. This doctrine is not a part of
the nuclear doctrine, which is designed for the use of the atomic weapons in a full-
scale declared war if the conditions of the doctrine are surpassed. Instead, the policy of
the Minimum Credible Deterrence falls under minimal deterrence as an inverse to
the Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), which is widely regarded as designed to
dissuade India from taking any military actions against Pakistan, as it did in 1971. India
refuses to adopt No first use policy, while the other regional
powers Pakistan and China had adopted the policy. Pakistan's stance is that if ever
invaded or attacked, it will use "any weapon in its arsenal" to defend the motherland.

Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD)

Credible Minimum Deterrence is a composite posturing adopted by some nuclear-
armed states (especially Pakistan and India) to convey a non-aggressive and
defensive nuclear posture by projecting a nuclear arsenal that fulfils the bare needs
of defence and security. Accordingly, it implies that the nuclear arsenals will
be minimal enough to provide credible deterrence against adversaries. While
‘minimum’ (the number of warheads and delivery systems at a given point of time)
can be dynamically driven by the strategic environment (perceived strength or build-
up of rival arsenals), the question of ‘credibility’ is based on perceptions – whether
the adversary has been ‘effectively deterred’ or whether the capability to impart
‘unacceptable damage’ has been convincingly conveyed to the adversary. Pakistan
and India have both seen their deterrence goalposts being constantly shifted as a
result of their mutual security dilemmas, as also the strategic modernization pursued
by China.