Subject: China's and India's Ballistic Missiles, Nuclear Washeads, and Nuclear Tests
 
This memorandum was prepared by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress in response to US Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich request for a quick comparison of China's and India's ballistic missiles, nuclear warheads, and nuclear tests, as well as alleged Chinese technology transfers for weapons of mass destruction and missiles.  

Introduction  

China's nuclear-armed ballistic missiles are believed to be targeted at the United States, Russia, and perhaps other countries. The White House, on May 1, 1998, confirmed this assessment by saying that " there aer no Russian nuclear missiles targeted on the Uited States." China is believed to have only single warheads on each missile, although it is believed to be working on multiple-independently targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRVs). China's controversial technology or arms transfers have gone to two main recepients: Iran and Pakistan. U.S. sanctions have been imposed to Chinese state-owned enterprises for missile technology transfers to Pakistan and chemical weapons-related technology transfers to Iran.
 
Ballistic Missiles China (footnote #1) India
    intercontinental ballistic missiles
 43 (DF-4, -5A) (footnote #2)  
    medium-range ballistic missiles
 50+ (DF-3A, -21) a few prototyes (Agni)
    intermediate-range ballistic missiles
    
    short-range ballistic missiles
 ?(M-9, -11) 75+ (Prithvi)
    submarine-launched ballistic missiles
 12 (JL-1)  
Nuclear Warheads    
    Deployed
 100+
(footnote #3)		 probably none
    stored
 ? 20-50
(footnote #4)
Known Nuclear Tests 45 (footnote # 5) 6 (footnote #6)
 
 
(1)CRS Report 97-3914F, China: ballistic and Cruise Missiles, March 21, 1997, by Shirley Kan and Robert Shuey  
(2)Gertz, Bill. "China Targets Nukes at U.S.," Washington Times, May 1, 1998. 
(3)Secretary of Defense, Proliferation: Threat and Response, November 1997.  
(4)India is believed to have enough weapons-grade plutonium for 74 nuclear warheads.  
(5)For dates and yields of known Chinese nuclear tests, see Table 1 in CRS Repost 97-1022F, Chinese Nuclear Testing and Warhead Development, November 17, 1997, by Jonathan Medalia. 
(6)First Indian test took place on May 18, 1974; three more on May 11, 98, and two more on May 13, 98.
 
 
Date of Transfer or Report Reported Transfer by China Possible Violation Administration's Response
November 1992 M-11 missiles or related equipment to Pakistan (The Administration did not officially confirm reports that M-11 missiles are in Pakistan.) MTCR 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 sanctions imposed on Aug.24, 1993, for transfers of M-11 related equipment (not missiles); waived on Nov, 1, 1993
Mid-1994 to mid-1995 dozens or hundreds of missile guidance systems and computerized machine tools to Iran MTCR 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
2nd quarter of 1995 parts for the M-11 missile to Pakistan MTCR 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
Dec. 1994 to mid-1995 5000 ring magnets for an unsafeguarded nuclear enrichment program in Pakistan NPT 
Export-Import Bank Act 
Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act 
Arms Export Control Act		 considered sanctions under the Export-Import Bank Act; but announced on May10, 1996, that no sanctions would be imposed.
July 1995 more than 30 M-11 missiles stored in crates at Sargodha Air Force Base in Pakistan MTCR 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
Sept. 1995 calutron (electromagnetic isotope seperation system) for uranium enrichment to Iran NPT 
Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act 
Export-Import Bank Act 
Arms Export Control Act		 no sanctions
1995-1997 C-802 anti-ship cruise missiles and C-801 air launched cruise missiles to Iran Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act no sanctions
before Feb. 1996 dual-use chemical precursors and equipment to Iran's chemical weapon program Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 sanctions imposed on May 21, 1997
summer 1996 400 tons of chemicals to Iran Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
Aug. 1996 plant to manufacture M-11 missiles or missile components in Pakitan MTCR 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
Aug. 1996 gyroscopes, accelerometers, and test equipment for missile guidance to Iran MTCR 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
Sept. 1996 special industrial furnace and high-tech diagnostic equipment to unsafeguarded nuclear facilities in Pakistan NPT 
Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act 
Export-Import Bank Act 
Arms Export Control Act		 no sanctions
July-Dec. 1996 Director of Central Intelligence(DCI) reported "tremendous variety" of technology and assistance for Pakistan's ballistic missile program MTCR 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
July-Dec. 1996 DCI reported "tremendous variety" of assistance for Iran's ballistic missile program MTCR 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
July-Dec. 1996 DCI reported principal supplies of nuclear equipment, material, and technology for Pakistan's nuclear weapon program NPT 
Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act 
Export-Import Bank Act 
Arms Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
July-Dec. 1996 DCI reported key supplies of technology for large nuclear projects in Iran NPT 
Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act 
Export-Import Bank Act 
Arms Export Administration Act 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act		 no sanctions
July-Dec. 1996 DCI reported "considerable" chemical weapon-related transfers of production equipment and technology to Iran Export Administration Act 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act		 no sanctions
Jan. 1997 dual-use biological items to Iran BWC 
Export Administration Act 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act		 no sanctions
1997 chemical precursors, production equipment, and production technology for Iran's chemical weapon program, including a plant for making glass-lined equipment Export Administration Act 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act		 no sanctions
Sept. to Dec. 1997 China Great Wall Industry Corp. provided telemetry equipment used in flight tests to Iran for its development of the Shahab-3 and Shahab-4 medium range ballistic missiles MTCR 
Iran-Iraq Arms Nonproliferation Act 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions
Nov. 1997/April 1998 may have transferred technology for Pakistan's Ghauri medium-range ballistic missile that was flight-tested on April 6, 1998 MTCR 
Arms Export Control Act 
Export Administration Act		 no sanctions