Talk:India–United States espionage on Nanda Devi

Requested move 20 December 2025

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

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Nanda Devi Plutonium Mission → Nuclear espionage in the Indian Himalayas – I wasn't able to find the phrase "Nanda Devi Plutonium Mission" in major sources, "Plutonium Mission" is a very vague idea and gives the wrong ideas about Pu-238 vs Pu-239 and the actual espionage purpose, "Mission" fails to indicate the article scope as multiple separate climbs, "Nanda Devi" fails to indicate the successful mission on Nanda Kot, I believe "CIA espionage in the Indian Himalayas" would also be appropriate as while it was a joint mission it was clearly initiated and led by the CIA. Doeze (talk) 14:39, 20 December 2025 (UTC) — Relisting. TarnishedPath^talk 23:04, 27 December 2025 (UTC) — Relisting. Jeffrey34555 (talk) 00:50, 4 January 2026 (UTC)

I would support a move, and considered proposing a new title myself, as I don't like the current title, but I think the proposed title sounds too broad. I view all of these as one initiative, multiple attempts, and the suggested title evokes multiple initiatives in my view. I think it is important to draw the connection between the Nanda Devi efforts and the Nanda Kot efforts, since they were driven by the same people, in the same mountains, and over the course of just a couple years. It's hard for me to think of an improvement, however; maybe "Nuclear espionage on Nanda Devi"? Although I understand that you disagree with me on the inclusion of "Nanda Devi" in the title, I think it belongs. The odd thing about this is that "nuclear espionage" could refer to spying on something that is nuclear, or spying with something that is nuclear, but both of these accurately describe this event. Perhaps I would be happy with "Nuclear espionage mission on Nanda Devi", as a balance between the criteria for a good title. Curious to hear others' thoughts, though. — Johan Brahm (talk) 19:11, 20 December 2025 (UTC)

Nanda Devi is less than 10 miles from Nanda Kot. Both peaks lie on the outer rim of the Nanda Devi basin (which is a phrase that will return a number of hits when googled). Although a little long, "Nuclear espionage around the Nanda Devi basin" might be a suitable alternative name. Babybrew6 (talk) 18:44, 22 December 2025 (UTC)

I think in terms of WP:PRECISE and WP:CONCISE this is the current extent of all Nuclear espionage in the Indian Himalayas, no need to specify just that basin, if more information comes out on any CIA or Indian missions they can be included under this scope. I understand the concern about viewing as one initiative and not evoking multiple. But I think WP:COMMONTERM is more important in deciding for "Indian Himalayas" over the basin. The first line of the lead can be modified to suggest a single initiative. I'm not sure if we can meaningfully differentiate between "single initiative with similar group of climbers" and "multiple initiatives with similar group of climbers", when so many other mission details are classified, the director of the CIA changed multiple times from 1965 to 1967 etcetc. Doeze (talk) 02:40, 26 December 2025 (UTC)

I would also support "Nuclear espionage on Nanda Devi" as an interim change. Doeze (talk) 02:43, 26 December 2025 (UTC)

I'd also note nuclear espionage is quite explicitly about spying on nuclear weapons programs, which is appropriate here. The RTG is not relevant in the right way to be mentioned in the title. Doeze (talk) 00:52, 9 January 2026 (UTC)

Note: WikiProject Military history and WikiProject Military history/Indian military history task force have been notified of this discussion. TarnishedPath^talk 23:05, 27 December 2025 (UTC)

• Support a move but not to any of the proposals so far... I think we can do better. Andrewa (talk) 22:03, 3 January 2026 (UTC)

  "India–United States espionage on Nanda Devi"

  "United States nuclear espionage on Nanda Devi"

  "Central Intelligence Agency–Intelligence Bureau espionage in the Himalayas"

  "Nanda Devi RTG missions"

  "Indian Himalayas nuclear espionage missions"

  Sorry but I can't see how we can do better than everything before this message. Would you care to drop a hint? Doeze (talk) 00:48, 9 January 2026 (UTC)

Relisting comment: Consensus seems to want to move, but no consensus on where. Relisting again to gain more consensus. Jeffrey34555 (talk) 00:50, 4 January 2026 (UTC)

• Support move to Nuclear espionage in the Indian Himalayas or United States nuclear espionage in the Indian Himalayas. The article seems to cover espionage on Nanda Kot as well as Nanda Devi. Those aren't perfect, however, as they don't capture the concept of the nuclear material that was left behind and its potential impact. But in any case we should use WP:SENTENCECASE. —⁠ ⁠BarrelProof (talk) 01:03, 9 January 2026 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.