About three months after Pokhran II (and Pakistani response), Amitav Ghoshwent to the Pokhran area and, invited to join the then Indian Defence Minister,George Fernandes' entourage, visited some military installations in theembattled state of Kashmir -- including the Siachen glacier in the Karakorammountains where Indian and Pakistani soldiers have been exchanging fire since1983. He next visited Pakistan and Nepal. Countdown is partly a result of thesejourneys and conversations with many hundreds of people in India, Pakistan andNepal.