Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty: Latest News & Key Achievements | UPSC

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces ( INF ) Treaty was a monumental arms control treaty signed on December 8, 1987, between the United States and the Soviet Union between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. This agreement became historic, since it was the first treaty to ban an entire type of nuclear weapons outright. It mandated both countries to destroy any ground-based ballistic or cruise missiles of 500-5,500 km in range, i.e., both intermediate and shorter-range missiles, their launch platforms, and associated support systems.

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For UPSC, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty is essential for GS Paper 2 (International Relations) under topics like arms control, disarmament, global and regional security, strategic stability, and significant power relations involving the US, Russia, and China. It impacts India's geopolitical and security interests. Join the UPSC coaching today and boost your preparation.

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Why In The News?

What is the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty?

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was a 1987 arms control agreement between the US and the Soviet Union to eliminate all ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometres. It aimed to reduce nuclear arms and prevent destabilising missile deployments, verified by on-site inspections.

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Why the INF Treaty is in the news recently (2025): Summary

The INF treaty has gained new scrutiny because Russia had formally declared in August 2025 that it would no longer be bound to the INF Treaty, before doing the same to the treaty in November of the same year. This is after the US, in 2019, suspended its participation, followed by a formal withdrawal in the same year, primarily in protest over Russian noncompliance (including developing and fielding the SSC-8/9M729 missile system that Russia is alleged to have broken the treaty limits). Another point that the US referred to was the difficulty of the US with the missile stockpile of China, which the treaty had never limited. The declaration by Russia is the final part of the INF regime, and apprehensions about the once again use of intermediate-range rockets in Europe and Asia are imminent.

About the INF Treaty:

• Scope: The treaty only dealt with land-based missiles; air- and sea-based missiles did not apply. It entailed ballistic and cruise missiles having a range of 500-5,500 km, short-range missiles (500-1,000 km) and intermediate-range missiles (1,000-5,500 km).
• Key Achievements: The key achievements of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty from its signing in 1987 until its end in 2025 include:
• First-ever elimination of an entire category of nuclear weapons: The treaty required the United States and the Soviet Union (later Russia) to eliminate all ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometres, encompassing intermediate- and shorter-range missiles.
• Destruction of nearly 2,700 missiles: By the treaty's implementation deadline in June 1991, a total of 2,692 missiles were destroyed under strict verification protocols, significantly reducing nuclear arsenals and the risk of missile deployment in Europe and beyond.
• The introduction of unprecedented verification mechanisms was the first treaty to allow on-site inspections and continuous verification measures, building mutual trust and transparency during the Cold War.
• Reduced tensions during a critical period: The treaty marked a significant step in arms control by halting the intermediate-range missile arms race, especially in Europe, significantly reducing the threat of nuclear confrontation between the superpowers.
• Setting a precedent for future arms control: The INF Treaty became a pillar of strategic arms control and inspired subsequent agreements, showing that legally binding disarmament of an entire weapons class was possible.
• Lasting impact until its collapse: Despite its eventual unravelling with the US withdrawal in 2019 and Russia's formal exit in 2025, the treaty shaped global nuclear arms control efforts for over three decades.
• Geopolitical Context: The treaty was negotiated in the context of escalating tensions in the late 1970s and early 1980s when the Soviet deployment of SS-20 intermediate-range missiles in Eastern Europe prompted NATO responses with Pershing II and cruise missiles. The negotiations used proposals like the "zero option" to eliminate these missiles, avoiding arms races and reducing the risk of nuclear war in Europe.
• Collapse and Aftermath: In the 2010s, the treaty's effectiveness deteriorated because both sides were accused of failure to comply. The US allegation was about Russia's SSC-8 missiles. Russia also reacted by suggesting the US missile defence in Europe. The US pulled out in 2019, Russia was suspended in 2019, and will ditch the treaty in August 2025.

Conclusion

The INF Treaty was the first and only arms control success in history that destroyed a large number of nuclear and conventional missiles and established a new level of verification and trust-building between the Cold War superpowers. Its exit shows general trends in international security transformations, innovation in missile technology and the emergence of new players, such as China, who have complicated the present world security situation. The recent departure of Russia and the withdrawal have brought a wide gap in the control of arms, which generates great concern that the world will experience a new arms race, and the tension increases in the Asian and European regions.

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