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A nuclear arms race is already raging, with or without testing
With Russia and China making headway in strategic weaponry, the US and others will seek to catch up
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 "A Vinod Kumar")
 "An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile during a test at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on November 5, 2025 (Photo: United States Space Force)")
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile during a test at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on November 5, 2025 (Photo: United States Space Force)
In March 2018, addressing the Russian Federal Assembly, President Vladimir Putin unveiled an array of new-generation weaponry that blended nuclear power with hypersonic-propelled range, endurance, and manoeuvrability. Dubbing them superoruzhie (super weapons), Putin claimed that the new systems will be “invincible”, thanks to their unlimited range and ability to evade interception by the formidable United States (US) missile defence systems. In his presentation, which included a text and video-graphical description, Putin unveiled the following systems: Sarmat: An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to replace the Soviet-era Voevoda system;Avangard: a manoeuvrable hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) that can purportedly travel at speeds up to
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A Vinod Kumar
A Vinod Kumar is editor-in-chief of The Polity, and earlier worked with the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi
 "A Vinod Kumar")
First Published: Dec 10 2025 | 7:30 AM IST
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