Great Power Competition and Global Strategic Stability

Abstract

The rise of China and the renewed Russian desire to find a greater role in global politics are not only challenging America’s global preeminence in the world but are also serving as a catalyst to the great power rivalry. The consequences of this great power competition, however, do not remain confined to these three states only. The world at large is witnessing the fall-out of this competition in the form of reduced emphasis on arms control arrangements, regional realignments, quantitative and qualitative improvements in nuclear arsenals, increased significance of nuclear weapons in the national security policies and most prominently the global strategic stability. The great power competition is giving impetus to development and modernization of weapon systems that are undermining the basic pillars of strategic stability - mutual vulnerability and nuclear survivability. The increasing role of U.S. in South Asia and Indo-pacific to pursue its strategy of containing China is giving rise to regional insecurities; therefore, threatening the deterrent relationship between the regional players as well.