NEW START TREATY (STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY)

INTRODUCTION
The New START Treaty is a bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia aimed at limiting strategic nuclear weapons. It is an important prelims topic because questions often test whether it is bilateral or multilateral, its objectives, numerical limits, and current status. For beginners, New START helps in understanding how major nuclear powers attempt to manage strategic stability.

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BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN

• Signed in 2010
• Entered into force in 2011
• Replaced the earlier START I Treaty
• Signed by the United States and Russia
• Extended in 2021 for five years (till 2026)

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OBJECTIVES OF NEW START

• Reduce strategic nuclear weapons
• Enhance transparency and predictability
• Maintain strategic stability between two largest nuclear powers
• Prevent arms race escalation

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KEY FEATURES (VERY IMPORTANT FOR PRELIMS)

The treaty places limits on:
• Deployed strategic nuclear warheads – maximum 1,550
• Deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)
• Submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs)
• Deployed heavy bombers

• Verification through on-site inspections
• Data exchange and notifications between parties

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NATURE OF THE TREATY

• Bilateral treaty
• Legally binding
• Applies only to strategic nuclear weapons
• Does not cover tactical (non-strategic) nuclear weapons

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INDIA AND NEW START

• India is not a party to New START
• Treaty is relevant for global nuclear stability
• Impacts overall arms control environment

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PRELIMS NOTES AND COMMON CONFUSIONS

• New START is different from NPT and CTBT
• It is bilateral, not multilateral
• It limits numbers, not complete elimination
• It applies only to strategic weapons

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CURRENT RELEVANCE

• Extension till 2026 kept treaty alive
• Concerns over future of arms control after expiry
• Suspension of inspections during geopolitical tensions

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Subject: International Relation

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