New START Treaty Expires, Raising Concerns Over Nuclear Buildup and India's Position

The expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia, has raised fresh concerns about a renewed global nuclear arms race and its wider implications, including for countries such as India.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which capped the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems held by Washington and Moscow, formally lapsed without a replacement or extension. With relations between the two nuclear superpowers at a historic low, there is now no binding framework to limit or verify their nuclear arsenals, marking a significant setback for decades of arms control efforts.

Experts warn that the absence of New START could encourage both the US and Russia to expand and modernise their nuclear stockpiles without transparency or mutual checks. This development risks destabilising global strategic balance, increasing mistrust, and raising the chances of miscalculation. The collapse of arms control mechanisms also weakens broader non-proliferation norms at a time when geopolitical tensions are already high.

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For India, the end of New START carries indirect but important consequences. As a nuclear-armed state outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework, India closely monitors shifts in global nuclear doctrines. An intensified US-Russia arms race could prompt other powers, including China, to reassess their own nuclear postures, potentially affecting India’s strategic environment, particularly in Asia.

Indian policymakers and strategic analysts are concerned that reduced emphasis on arms control by major powers may erode the credibility of global non-proliferation regimes. This could complicate India’s long-standing advocacy for universal and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament, while also increasing pressure on New Delhi to invest further in deterrence and defence capabilities.

While India is not directly bound by US-Russia arms treaties, the broader impact of their collapse underscores the interconnected nature of global security. Analysts argue that renewed diplomatic engagement on arms control, confidence-building measures, and risk-reduction mechanisms among major powers will be crucial to preventing a destabilising nuclear buildup that could have far-reaching consequences beyond Europe and the United States.

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