Trump’s Nuclear Testing Order Sparks Fears of New Arms Race and Challenges for India
The United States, under President Trump, has announced a potential end to its 33-year moratorium on nuclear testing, citing testing activities by Russia, China, and others. This move raises concerns about a new nuclear arms race, with strategic implications for India, which has maintained a voluntary testing moratorium amid growing nuclear modernization by regional rivals Pakistan and China.
For the first time in over three decades, the United States has signaled it may resume nuclear weapons testing, a move prompted by similar testing and modernization efforts by Russia, China, Pakistan, and North Korea. President Trump directed the Pentagon to restart testing 'on an equal basis,' ending the U.S. standstill since 1992. This development heightens fears of a renewed nuclear arms race as major powers modernize their arsenals amid the collapse of key arms control agreements such as the ABM Treaty and INF Treaty. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), despite widespread signatures, remains unenforced due to non-ratification by key states including the US, China, India, and Pakistan. India, which has followed a voluntary moratorium and a policy of credible minimum deterrence with no-first-use, now faces pressure to reconsider its stance as its regional adversaries expand their stockpiles and testing activities. India’s estimated stockpile of 180 warheads contrasts with Pakistan’s 170 and China’s 600, the latter projected to increase significantly by 2030. The re-emergence of testing is viewed not only as a technical step but also as geopolitical signaling reminiscent of Cold War rivalries. The article highlights the complex strategic dilemma for India between maintaining restraint and reinforcing deterrence in a rapidly shifting global nuclear landscape.
