6. Nuclear Deterrence Debate and Europe’s Security Architecture

Background Europe’s security environment is undergoing reassessment amid trust deficits within NATO, evolving US positions, and renewed great-power rivalry. Key Developments • Growing unease within NATO following the US stance on strategic territories such as Greenland. • Expiry of the New START Treaty, raising arms-control concerns. • Major powers are modernising nuclear arsenals, despite disarmament rhetoric. • The Ukraine war has challenged classical nuclear deterrence theory.Value Addition (Security Studies Perspective) • Despite modernisation, the nuclear taboo (non-use since 1945) remains strong. • Deterrence may increasingly rely on: o Conventional military strength o Strategic ambiguity o Regional security cooperation • Europe is exploring security architectures with reduced US dependence, including strategic autonomy debates. Legal & Normative Framework • NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) and customary international law on arms control. Key Definition • Nuclear Deterrence: Prevention of attack by threatening unacceptable retaliatory damage. Conclusion Future security architectures may de-emphasise nuclear weapons, prioritising stability through conventional strength and multilateral arms control. UPSC Relevance: GS Paper II – International security, arms control