Nuclear deterrence emerged from the devastating power of atomic weapons, shaping Cold War superpower relations through the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). Post-Cold War, efforts focused on non-proliferation and disarmament, but recent geopolitical tensions, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war, have reignited fears of nuclear conflict and challenged the existing arms control architecture.

• 1945US drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending WWII. Nuclear age begins.
• 1949Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb, initiating the nuclear arms race.
• 1962Cuban Missile Crisis: US-Soviet standoff brings world to brink of nuclear war. Leads to focus on arms control.
• 1968Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) signed, aiming to prevent spread of nuclear weapons.
• 1972Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) signed by US and USSR, first major arms control agreement.
• 1974India conducts 'Smiling Buddha' nuclear test, demonstrating peaceful nuclear explosion capability.
• 1987Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed by US and USSR, eliminating ground-launched missiles.
• 1991Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) signed, significantly reducing strategic offensive arms.
• 1996Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) adopted by UNGA, prohibiting all nuclear explosions.
• 1998India (Pokhran-II) and Pakistan conduct nuclear tests, declaring themselves nuclear weapon states.
• 2010New START Treaty signed by US and Russia, further limiting strategic offensive arms.
• 2017Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) adopted by UN, banning nuclear weapons.
• 2019US withdraws from INF Treaty, citing Russian violations.
• 2023Russia suspends participation in New START Treaty, raising concerns about arms control future.
• 2024Continued modernization of nuclear arsenals by major powers. North Korea conducts further missile tests.
• Jan 2026Russia's explicit and implicit nuclear threats in Ukraine war continue, raising global alarm about nuclear escalation and the erosion of arms control norms.

Nuclear deterrence emerged from the devastating power of atomic weapons, shaping Cold War superpower relations through the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). Post-Cold War, efforts focused on non-proliferation and disarmament, but recent geopolitical tensions, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war, have reignited fears of nuclear conflict and challenged the existing arms control architecture.

• 1945US drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending WWII. Nuclear age begins.
• 1949Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb, initiating the nuclear arms race.
• 1962Cuban Missile Crisis: US-Soviet standoff brings world to brink of nuclear war. Leads to focus on arms control.
• 1968Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) signed, aiming to prevent spread of nuclear weapons.
• 1972Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) signed by US and USSR, first major arms control agreement.
• 1974India conducts 'Smiling Buddha' nuclear test, demonstrating peaceful nuclear explosion capability.
• 1987Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed by US and USSR, eliminating ground-launched missiles.
• 1991Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) signed, significantly reducing strategic offensive arms.
• 1996Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) adopted by UNGA, prohibiting all nuclear explosions.
• 1998India (Pokhran-II) and Pakistan conduct nuclear tests, declaring themselves nuclear weapon states.
• 2010New START Treaty signed by US and Russia, further limiting strategic offensive arms.
• 2017Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) adopted by UN, banning nuclear weapons.
• 2019US withdraws from INF Treaty, citing Russian violations.
• 2023Russia suspends participation in New START Treaty, raising concerns about arms control future.
• 2024Continued modernization of nuclear arsenals by major powers. North Korea conducts further missile tests.
• Jan 2026Russia's explicit and implicit nuclear threats in Ukraine war continue, raising global alarm about nuclear escalation and the erosion of arms control norms.