START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty)
Recently Russia suspended the New Start Treaty as Russia has claimed that the United States did not comply with the provisions of the New Start Treaty.
Apart from this, Russia also tried to weaken the national security of Russia.
New Start Treaty
- New Start (Strategic Arms Cut Treaty) is nuclear arms cut treaty between the United States and Russia.
- The treaty was signed in 2010 and was implemented in 2011.
- The treaty replaced the previous start treaty, which ended in 2009.
- The purpose of this treaty is to limit and reduce the number of strategic nuclear weapons and arms delivery systems deployed by both countries.
- Its goal is to increase strategic stability and build mutual trust between the two countries.
Under this treaty, both sides are committed to the following:
- No more than 1,550 strategic nuclear weapons will be deployed. In addition, a maximum of 700, long distance missiles and bombers will be able to deploy.
- Maximum 800 Inter-Continental ballistic missiles will be allowed to be deployed.
- Each side can inspect a maximum of 18 strategic nuclear weapons sites in each other’s country every year.
- Its purpose is to ensure that none of the two countries have violated the conditions of the treaty.
- In the year 2021, the United States and Russia agreed to extend the treaty by 2026.
The effects of suspending the treaty-
- This step can destabilize the sensitive condition of nuclear weapons control between the world’s two largest nuclear weapons -rich powers.
- It is noteworthy that these two countries have 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal.
- This will also give nuclear weapon -rich countries like China, Pakistan an opportunity to increase their arsenal.
Source – The Hindu
