{"id":43505,"date":"2025-05-16T21:58:44","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T16:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=43505"},"modified":"2025-05-16T21:58:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T16:28:58","slug":"put-pakistan-nuclear-arsenal-under-watch-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-05-2025\/put-pakistan-nuclear-arsenal-under-watch-india","title":{"rendered":"Put Pakistan Nuclear Arsenal under Watch: India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology\/GS2\/IR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Union Defence Minister questioned the security of <strong>Pakistan\u2019s nuclear arsenal and called for its supervision<\/strong> by the<strong> International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pakistan has tried to<strong> leverage its nuclear status against India.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While India follows a<strong> no-first-use policy <\/strong>when it comes to nuclear weapons, Pakistan doesn&#8217;t have any such stated policy of restraint.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pakistan\u2019s Nuclear Arsenal<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pakistan first tested nuclear weapons in <strong>1998 <\/strong>in response to nuclear tests by India.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pakistan has vastly expanded its nuclear forces and remains<strong> outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime;<\/strong> the country is also a major source of <strong>proliferation concern.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is believed to possess an arsenal of about<strong> 170 nuclear warheads.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)<\/strong><br>&#8211; Signed in <strong>1968 <\/strong>and entered into<strong> force in 1970,<\/strong> the NPT aims to prevent the <strong>spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament.<\/strong>\u00a0<br>1. It divides the world into nuclear-weapon states (NWS), recognized as possessing nuclear weapons at the time of the treaty&#8217;s signing, and non-nuclear-weapon states (NNWS), which agree not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons.\u00a0<br>2. The treaty also requires NWS to pursue disarmament negotiations in good faith.<br>&#8211; <strong>India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan<\/strong> have not signed the NPT.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is an international organization that <strong>promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy <\/strong>while working to <strong>prevent its use for military purposes, including nuclear weapons.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was established in <strong>1957<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Headquarters:<\/strong> Vienna, Austria.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Membership:<\/strong> 180 (as of 15 November 2024).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Motto: <\/strong>&#8220;Atoms for Peace and Development&#8221;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Main Objective: <\/strong>Promote Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IAEA Safeguards are embedded in<strong> legally binding agreements.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These safeguards are accepted by the states after the conclusion of such agreements with the agency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In 2005, the IAEA and its Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei<\/strong>, were awarded the <strong>Nobel Peace Prize <\/strong>for their work for a safer and more peaceful world.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role:\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Nuclear Safeguards and Verification: <\/strong>Monitors nuclear programs of member states to ensure they are not diverted to weapons programs, especially under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nuclear Safety and Security: <\/strong>Assists countries in strengthening nuclear safety standards, responding to emergencies, and preventing nuclear terrorism.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Technical Cooperation: <\/strong>Provides technical assistance to developing countries to use nuclear technology for sustainable development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role in Global Affairs: <\/strong>Works closely with the United Nations (UN) (it reports to the UN General Assembly and Security Council).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Plays a critical role in non-proliferation diplomacy, such as inspecting Iran\u2019s nuclear program.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India and Its Nuclear Safety Commitments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In 2014, India ratified the <strong>Additional Protocol (AP)<\/strong>, which granted the I<strong>AEA greater access to India\u2019s civil nuclear programme.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India has signed an<strong> item-specific safeguards<\/strong> agreement under the IAEA along with Pakistan and Israel.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are nuclear-power states that are not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India also changed its export laws to line up with the<strong> NSG, MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement, and Australia Group <\/strong>\u2014 the four key nuclear control regimes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Key Nuclear Control Regimes<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR):<\/strong> Established in 1987, MTCR is an \u201cinformal political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology\u201d.\u00a0<br>1. It has 35 members. India was admitted in 2016. China is not a member.<br>&#8211; <strong>Australia Group: <\/strong>It is \u201can 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.\u201d\u00a0<br>2. In 2018, India formally became the 43rd member of the Australia Group.<br>&#8211; <strong>Wassenaar Arrangement (WA): <\/strong>The WA, formally established in 1996, aims to promote \u201ctransparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies\u201d, so there are no \u201cdestabilising accumulations\u201d, and terrorists do not acquire them.\u00a0<br>1. In 2017, India joined WA as the 42nd Participating State.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India-Pakistan Nuclear Installation Agreement<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Signed in 1988<\/strong> and brought into force in <strong>1991<\/strong>, Non-nuclear aggression agreement (NAA) commits the two countries to<strong> abstain from attacking each other\u2019s civilian nuclear facilities.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It requires an <strong>annual exchange <\/strong>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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The goal is to <strong>avoid triggering a nuclear catastrophe.<\/strong> However, the agreement <strong>does not mandate detailed disclosures <\/strong>about the nature or activities of these facilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India has repeatedly proposed expanding the agreement<\/strong> to include a pledge not to target civilian and economic infrastructure, but Pakistan has consistently rejected such proposals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pakistan\u2019s lack of a declared no-first-use nuclear policy<\/strong>, in contrast to India\u2019s commitment to such a doctrine, contributes to <strong>strategic instability in South Asia<\/strong>, raising the <strong>risk of escalation in the event of a conflict.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pakistan uses its nuclear capability to counter India&#8217;s conventional military edge, but its unrestrained doctrine<strong> highlights the need for confidence-building, <\/strong>dialogue, and regional arms control to maintain long-term peace and stability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/rajnath-singh-pakistan-nuclear-weapons-operation-sindoor-action-iaea\/article69578589.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The Union Defence Minister questioned the security of Pakistan\u2019s nuclear arsenal and called for its supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Pakistan has tried to leverage its nuclear status against India.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">While India follows a no-first-use policy when it comes to nuclear weapons, Pakistan doesn&#8217;t have any such stated policy of restraint.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-05-2025\/put-pakistan-nuclear-arsenal-under-watch-india\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43505"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43526,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43505\/revisions\/43526"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}