The United States has accused China of conducting a secret nuclear explosive test in June 2020, mere days after the deadly Galwan Valley clash in eastern Ladakh. This confrontation resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, with intelligence assessments indicating over 30 Chinese casualties, NBC News reported.

The timing of the alleged test, disclosed by Washington at a global disarmament forum, heightens concerns in New Delhi regarding Beijing's military posture amid one of the most tense phases of the India-China border crisis in decades.

U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Thomas DiNanno, revealed that the U.S. government possesses evidence of China performing nuclear explosive tests, including preparations for yields in the hundreds of tons. He specified that Beijing executed a yield-producing test on 22 June 2020.

DiNanno accused the Chinese military of concealing these explosions through 'decoupling' techniques, which reduce the effectiveness of seismic monitoring, thereby violating international test ban commitments.

China's ambassador on disarmament, Shen Jian, dismissed the claims without directly addressing the specific allegation. He asserted that Beijing has always acted prudently and responsibly on nuclear matters, while countering that the U.S. exaggerates the so-called 'China nuclear threat' to justify its own arms race. Shen positioned Washington as the primary culprit in escalating global nuclear tensions.

This revelation emerges at a pivotal moment for international arms control, coinciding with the expiry of the 2010 New START treaty between the U.S. and Russia. For the first time in over 50 years, these powers operate without binding limits on strategic missile and warhead deployments, fuelling fears of a renewed arms competition.

DiNanno emphasised that bilateral treaties like New START are obsolete in 2026, given threats from multiple nuclear-armed states. The U.S. forecasts China's nuclear arsenal expanding beyond 1,000 warheads by 2030, contrasting with Beijing's claim of around 600—far below the approximately 4,000 held by both the U.S. and Russia. China has so far rejected trilateral negotiations.

Security analysts warn of a strategic vacuum akin to early Cold War uncertainties, where miscalculations between nuclear powers loomed large. Without a successor treaty, major powers may expand arsenals on worst-case scenarios, exacerbated by China's rapid nuclear modernisation. Russia has expressed openness to dialogue with Washington, while Britain and France advocate a multilateral framework incorporating China amid eroding nuclear norms.

The Galwan clash represented the first combat deaths on the India-China border in 45 years, sparking prolonged standoffs, swift military build-ups, and a lasting strain in bilateral relations. For India, the alleged nuclear test underscores the need for vigilant monitoring of China's opaque military advancements.

International Agencies