After Donald Trump’s announcement, the U.S. has carried out nuclear weapons testing for the first time in 33 years. Sandia National Laboratories, under the U.S. Department of Energy, confirmed that it successfully tested the B-61-12 tactical thermonuclear bomb. The test occurred between August 19th and 21st at the Nevada Test Site, using an F-35A stealth fighter.
According to the report, during the exercise, the F-35A flew a non-explosive version of the B-61-12 under safe guidance and precisely released it on the designated target. This test was conducted in partnership with the NNSA. Notably, for the first time ever, thermal preconditioning technology was used: the bomb’s joint test assembly was exposed to extreme temperature changes to evaluate how it performs under harsh, combat-like conditions—a type of experiment never before done with the F-35.
When Trump ordered the nuclear tests, many wondered whether he would actually follow through, or if it was simply a move to increase pressure on Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. But by conducting these tests, America has dramatically shifted its nuclear posture — heightening tensions with Russia and China. This demonstrates America’s desire to project itself as the world’s dominant power. Resuming nuclear tests marks a major policy change for the U.S., and it risks triggering a new nuclear arms race. Other countries — like Russia, China, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran — may feel compelled to restart their own testing or expand their arsenals, raising global instability.
The United States tested its first atomic bomb in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer led the nuclear project, along with Enrico Ferguson, Richard Feynman, and Niels Bohr. After witnessing the devastating consequences of the nuclear explosion, Oppenheimer famously cited the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, and said, “Now I have become death, destroyer of the world.” Exactly three weeks after this test, on August 6th, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. This attack wreaked havoc in an instant. Nearly 200,000 people were killed and thousands were maimed. For years, deformed children continued to be born, and both cities were reduced to ruins. After this attack, Japan surrendered, and World War II ended. However, this sparked a worldwide race for nuclear weapons. Today, the world possesses enough nuclear bombs to destroy the world many times over. Despite this, the race to acquire nuclear power has not ended. The world is sitting on a stockpile of nuclear bombs. This means that humanity is at the brink of a huge and imminent danger. Nine countries in the world possess sufficient weapons of mass destruction. These weapons could be used intentionally, accidentally, or as a result of a cyberattack. Whatever the reason, it could devastate a large part of the world. Numerous treaties have been signed to eliminate nuclear weapons. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBC) was signed in 1996 to reduce tensions. This treaty itself was discriminatory, as global powers reserved their right to conduct nuclear tests, claiming responsibility for themselves, but prevented others from conducting nuclear tests. Russia signed it in 2000 but cancelled it in 2023. The United States also subsequently cancelled it. India refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, calling it discriminatory.
Now, the biggest question is what India will do. Will it conduct nuclear tests again? If India’s neighbors, Pakistan and China, conduct nuclear tests, India will be forced to do the same. After the 1998 nuclear tests, the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government imposed an indefinite moratorium on nuclear testing. Lifting the moratorium is only one part of this dilemma. After the 1998 nuclear tests, the United States imposed restrictions on India. sanctions were imposed. Subsequently, nuclear talks between Strobe Talbott and Jaswant Singh took place under the Clinton administration, which continued into the George W. Bush administration, culminating in the 2005 India-US nuclear deal. The 123 Agreement was then negotiated between India and the US, and in 2008, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) granted explicit waivers that facilitated India’s access to nuclear fuel, technology, and commerce. Understandably, the 123 Agreement leaves India with limited scope for additional testing. However, if India deems such an exercise necessary in an exigent situation, the NSG (even excluding all of India’s nuclear partners) could consider a new round of nuclear tests by India a violation of the 123 Agreement and the NSG waiver, leading to renewed sanctions. The consequences of this could be very serious. If India conducts nuclear tests, it will also have to contend with the arbitrariness of the Trump administration. India has always championed peace, but it must also consider its security interests.
