US Resumes Nuclear Testing After 33 Years; India Faces Strategic Nuclear Choice
The United States has announced it will resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 1992, citing the need to counter Russia and China’s growing arsenals. This move reverses decades of arms control efforts and has reignited the global arms race. Indian experts suggest New Delhi may consider thermonuclear testing to reinforce its deterrence against China amid rising regional tensions.
The US decision to resume nuclear weapons testing after a 33-year moratorium marks a significant shift in global strategic stability. Announced just before a meeting between President Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, the move is framed as a response to enhanced nuclear capabilities demonstrated by Russia and China, including Russia’s recent tests of advanced nuclear systems and China’s expansion of its stockpile. The US last tested a nuclear device underground in 1992, and the new policy breaks from previous efforts aimed at arms reduction and non-proliferation, particularly the moratorium built around the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).This development has triggered intense debates in India, where experts recall India’s 1998 nuclear tests that did not fully achieve thermonuclear success. Given China’s growing nuclear strength, some in India believe there may be renewed justification for a thermonuclear test to enhance strategic deterrence, though such a move risks provoking Pakistan and escalating regional tensions. Historically, efforts to restrict nuclear testing have failed to prevent nuclear expansion in South Asia, as evidenced by India and Pakistan's tests in 1998.Internationally, analysts warn that the US resumption could unravel the global norm against nuclear testing, motivating other countries like China, Russia, and North Korea to follow suit, potentially exacerbating the arms race and threatening global security. The decision thus alters the security dynamics in Asia and reflects a broader erosion of the post-Cold War arms control architecture. Public and expert debate continue over the risks of renewed testing, including environmental and humanitarian concerns from potential radioactive fallout, as well as strategic risks related to escalating nuclear rivalries.
