Behind the making of the global nuclear (dis)order

Nuclear (dis)order is shaped heavily by the nature of interaction among States. Major challenges are emerging at the structural level in the international system, leading to fissures in the extant regime.

- Rahul Rawat

On the one hand, there is an axis of upheaval led by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran defying the nuclear order and, on the other, the United States (US) led by Donald Trump aiming to resume nuclear testing. In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, Moscow has reframed its nuclear doctrine to push back against the Western support for Ukraine. The existing nuclear order amid the ongoing breakdown of norms is pushing the world towards a brink. The challenges come in the form of trust deficit, decaying of long-held norms in addition to nuclear modernization and the changing calculus of deterrence among key players.