End of New START Treaty — Nuclear Arms Control & Disarmament

What is New START and what happened to it in February 2026?

New START is the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty; it expired on 5 February 2026, ending the last legally binding US–Russia limits on strategic nuclear arsenals.

What is the full form of New START?

New START stands for New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

When was New START signed and when did it enter into force?

New START was signed in 2010 and entered into force in 2011.

Which two countries were parties to New START?

The United States and the Russian Federation.

Who extended New START for five years in 2021?

US President Joe Biden extended New START for five years in 2021, making it valid until February 2026.

Why did New START expire in February 2026?

It expired after the US and Russia failed to renew or replace the treaty amid deteriorating relations and stalled arms-control negotiations.

What was Russia's position on New START before its expiry?

Russia suspended participation in New START in 2023 amid the Ukraine war, halting inspections and nuclear-data sharing.

What was the major consequence of New START's expiry?

The binding limits on strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems were removed, weakening the global arms-control framework.

What was the New START ceiling for deployed strategic nuclear warheads?

New START capped each country's deployed strategic nuclear warheads at 1,550.

Did New START cover all nuclear weapons possessed by the US and Russia?

No. Its 1,550-warhead limit applied to operationally deployed warheads, not stockpiled or reserve weapons.

Which delivery systems were quantitatively limited by New START?

Intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy strategic bombers were subject to limits.

Why were verification and transparency mechanisms important under New START?

They enabled inspections, data exchanges and notifications, reducing uncertainty and risks of miscalculation.

What are the major risks created by the expiry of New START?

Loss of verified data can increase uncertainty, encourage worst-case assumptions, trigger an arms race and increase risks of miscalculation.

Why was New START strategically significant before its expiry?

It was the last surviving bilateral treaty regulating US–Russia strategic nuclear arsenals.

How did New START contribute to the global non-proliferation regime?

It reinforced confidence in broader nuclear arms-control and non-proliferation efforts, including the NPT.

What is SALT I and when was it negotiated?

SALT I was the first Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, held from 1969 to 1972 between the US and USSR.

What major treaty resulted from the first round of SALT I?

The first SALT round resulted in the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty.

What was the main purpose of the ABM Treaty?

It restricted deployment of missile-defence systems to preserve mutual vulnerability and strategic stability.

Why was SALT II (1972–1979) important?

SALT II established quantitative limits on nuclear delivery systems, including long-range missiles and strategic bombers.

Why did SALT II fail to become a fully ratified treaty?

The US Senate did not ratify SALT II after the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan.

What was START I and when was it signed?

START I was the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, signed in 1991; it capped nuclear warheads and introduced enhanced inspections.

When did START I expire?

START I expired in 2009.

What was START II and what happened to it?

START II sought to reduce nuclear weapons to 3,500, but Russia withdrew after the US exited the ABM Treaty in 2002, causing its collapse.

What was the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT)?

SORT, also called the Moscow Treaty, was a 2002 interim US–Russia agreement requiring reductions in operationally deployed nuclear warheads.

What was the Outer Space Treaty of 1967?

It banned deployment of weapons of mass destruction in outer space and on celestial bodies.

How many nuclear-armed states are signatories to the Outer Space Treaty according to the chapter?

Nine nuclear-armed states are identified as signatories: US, Russia, China, UK, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel.

What is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)?

The 1968 NPT seeks to prevent nuclear proliferation and promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy and eventual disarmament.

What distinction does the NPT make among states?

It distinguishes Nuclear-Weapon States from Non-Nuclear-Weapon States.

When was the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) signed?

The CTBT was signed in 1996 and seeks to ban all nuclear weapons testing.

Why has the CTBT not fully entered into operation?

It remains non-operational because required ratification by key nuclear-armed states is still incomplete.

What does the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (2017) seek to prohibit?

It seeks to ban the development, testing, possession and use of nuclear weapons and related threats.

What was the significance of the Treaty of Tlatelolco?

It established a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Latin America and the Caribbean.

What is the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)?

MTCR is an informal political understanding aimed at preventing proliferation of missiles and UAVs capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction.

How many members does the MTCR have and what is India's status?

The MTCR has 35 members; India joined in 2016, while China is not a member.

What is the Australia Group?

The Australia Group, established in 1985, is an informal export-control forum preventing the spread of chemical and biological weapons.

What was the Australia Group's specific concern in the chapter?

It coordinates export controls on dual-use chemicals, biological agents and equipment that could contribute to chemical or biological weapons.

When did India join the Australia Group?

India joined the Australia Group in 2018.

What is the Wassenaar Arrangement?

It is a voluntary export-control regime promoting transparency and responsibility in conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies.

When did India join the Wassenaar Arrangement?

India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement in 2017.

What is the primary objective of the Wassenaar Arrangement?

It promotes transparency and responsible transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods to prevent destabilising accumulations.

When was the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established?

The IAEA was established in 1957.

What is the IAEA's motto?

The IAEA's motto is “Atoms for Peace and Development.”

Where is the IAEA headquartered and who is its Director General?

The IAEA is headquartered in Vienna, Austria; its Director General is Rafael Grossi.

What are two key functions of the IAEA?

It safeguards and verifies peaceful nuclear programmes and supports nuclear safety to prevent accidents and terrorism.

How many IAEA members are mentioned in the chapter?

The chapter states that the IAEA has 180 members.

What happened in India's nuclear-energy programme in 1948?

The Atomic Energy Commission was established in 1948, laying the foundation for India's nuclear programme under Homi J. Bhabha.

What was significant about the APSARA reactor in 1956?

APSARA became operational in 1956 and was India's first nuclear reactor and the first research reactor in Asia.

What happened at Tarapur Atomic Power Station in 1969?

Tarapur began operation in 1969 as India's first commercial nuclear power plant, developed with US and IAEA support.

What was significant about India's Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor in 2024?

Core loading began in 2024, forming part of India's three-stage nuclear-energy programme using thorium for sustainable nuclear energy.

What is India's three-stage nuclear-energy programme ultimately intended to utilise?

It aims ultimately to utilise India's abundant thorium resources for sustainable nuclear-energy generation.

What was the India-US Civil Nuclear Deal of 2005/2008 significant for?

It legitimised India's civil nuclear programme and enabled technology transfer despite India not being an NPT signatory.

What was the 2008 NSG Waiver important for India?

It enabled nuclear trade for India despite its non-signatory status under the NPT.

What is India's No First Use nuclear policy?

India pledges not to initiate a nuclear strike but retains the right to retaliate if attacked with nuclear weapons.

What is the India-Pakistan Strategic Nuclear Restraint Agreement of 1988–1991 about?

It established an annual exchange of nuclear installation locations to prevent attacks on those facilities.

When is the International Day against Nuclear Tests observed?

It is observed on 29 August.

When is the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness observed?

It is observed on 5 March.

When is the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons observed?

It is observed on 26 September.

What is a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ)?

It is a region in which participating states commit to banning nuclear weapons within their territories.

Which organisation received the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize for nuclear non-proliferation efforts?

The IAEA received the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with its Director General at the time, Mohamed ElBaradei.

What is Pokhran-I and when was it conducted?

Pokhran-I was India's first nuclear test, conducted on 18 May 1974 and code-named “Smiling Buddha.”

What was Pokhran-II and when was it conducted?

Pokhran-II was a series of nuclear tests conducted by India in May 1998 at Pokhran, Rajasthan.

What were the code names associated with India's Pokhran-II tests?

Tests conducted on 11 May 1998 were code-named Shakti-I, while the 13 May tests included Shakti-II, Shakti-III and Shakti-V.

Which Nobel laureate was associated with efforts toward a nuclear-free world in 2024?

Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese organisation of atomic-bomb survivors, received the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for its anti-nuclear-weapons advocacy.