Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology/GS2/IR
Context
- The Union Defence Minister questioned the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and called for its supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
About
- Pakistan has tried to leverage its nuclear status against India.
- While India follows a no-first-use policy when it comes to nuclear weapons, Pakistan doesn’t have any such stated policy of restraint.
Pakistan’s Nuclear Arsenal
- Pakistan first tested nuclear weapons in 1998 in response to nuclear tests by India.
- Pakistan has vastly expanded its nuclear forces and remains outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime; the country is also a major source of proliferation concern.
- It is believed to possess an arsenal of about 170 nuclear warheads.
| Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) – Signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970, the NPT aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament. 1. It divides the world into nuclear-weapon states (NWS), recognized as possessing nuclear weapons at the time of the treaty’s signing, and non-nuclear-weapon states (NNWS), which agree not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons. 2. The treaty also requires NWS to pursue disarmament negotiations in good faith. – India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan have not signed the NPT. |
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- It is an international organization that promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy while working to prevent its use for military purposes, including nuclear weapons.
- It was established in 1957.
- Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
- Membership: 180 (as of 15 November 2024).
- Motto: “Atoms for Peace and Development”.
- Main Objective: Promote Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.
- IAEA Safeguards are embedded in legally binding agreements.
- These safeguards are accepted by the states after the conclusion of such agreements with the agency.
- In 2005, the IAEA and its Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work for a safer and more peaceful world.
- Role:
- Nuclear Safeguards and Verification: Monitors nuclear programs of member states to ensure they are not diverted to weapons programs, especially under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
- Nuclear Safety and Security: Assists countries in strengthening nuclear safety standards, responding to emergencies, and preventing nuclear terrorism.
- Technical Cooperation: Provides technical assistance to developing countries to use nuclear technology for sustainable development.
- Role in Global Affairs: Works closely with the United Nations (UN) (it reports to the UN General Assembly and Security Council).
- Plays a critical role in non-proliferation diplomacy, such as inspecting Iran’s nuclear program.
India and Its Nuclear Safety Commitments
- In 2014, India ratified the Additional Protocol (AP), which granted the IAEA greater access to India’s civil nuclear programme.
- India has signed an item-specific safeguards agreement under the IAEA along with Pakistan and Israel.
- They are nuclear-power states that are not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
- India also changed its export laws to line up with the NSG, MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement, and Australia Group — the four key nuclear control regimes.
| Key Nuclear Control Regimes – Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR): Established in 1987, MTCR is an “informal political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology”. 1. It has 35 members. India was admitted in 2016. China is not a member. – Australia Group: It is “an informal forum of countries which, through the harmonisation of export controls, seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.” 2. In 2018, India formally became the 43rd member of the Australia Group. – Wassenaar Arrangement (WA): The WA, formally established in 1996, aims to promote “transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies”, so there are no “destabilising accumulations”, and terrorists do not acquire them. 1. In 2017, India joined WA as the 42nd Participating State. |
India-Pakistan Nuclear Installation Agreement
- Signed in 1988 and brought into force in 1991, Non-nuclear aggression agreement (NAA) commits the two countries to abstain from attacking each other’s civilian nuclear facilities.
- It requires an annual exchange of the exact locations by latitude and longitude of power plants, enrichment labs, isotope separation units, and any site holding a significant quantity of radioactive material.
- The goal is to avoid triggering a nuclear catastrophe. However, the agreement does not mandate detailed disclosures about the nature or activities of these facilities.
- India has repeatedly proposed expanding the agreement to include a pledge not to target civilian and economic infrastructure, but Pakistan has consistently rejected such proposals.
Conclusion
- Pakistan’s lack of a declared no-first-use nuclear policy, in contrast to India’s commitment to such a doctrine, contributes to strategic instability in South Asia, raising the risk of escalation in the event of a conflict.
- Pakistan uses its nuclear capability to counter India’s conventional military edge, but its unrestrained doctrine highlights the need for confidence-building, dialogue, and regional arms control to maintain long-term peace and stability.
Source: TH
