Issue Brief on “Nuclear Modernization or Arms Race? Reassessing Strategic Stability After the Demise of INF and the New START Constraints”

Author: Muhammad Ehsan

Published: March 19, 2026

The post-Cold War arms control has lost its binding framework. The U.S. withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019, and the official expiration of the New START Treaty in February 2026 has left a governance vacuum. This vacuum strongly favors qualitative nuclear modernization over transparency and restraint.

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The article was published by the INSTITUTE OF STRATEGIC STUDIES ISLAMABAD - ISSI

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position or view of IRSEA.

20-03-2026 Issue Brief on “Nuclear Modernization or Arms Race? Reassessing Strategic Stability After the Demise of INF and the New START Constraints”