Missile defence & air-shield race?

Gopal Haldar
Jun 17, 2026

The global missile defence and air-shield race marks a major shift in modern security thinking.

The global missile defence and air-shield race marks a major shift in modern security thinking. For decades, military balance was largely built around offensive deterrence — the idea that a country would avoid attacking because retaliation would be devastating. Now, the world is moving into a new “shield vs. sword” era, where nations are not only building stronger missiles but also racing to build stronger systems to stop them.