{"id":45859,"date":"2025-06-21T18:33:48","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T13:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=45859"},"modified":"2025-06-24T15:27:08","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T09:57:08","slug":"nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty-npt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/21-06-2025\/nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty-npt","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong><strong>: GS2\/Global Grouping; Effect of Policies of Developed Countries<\/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>Recently,<strong> Iran\u2019s Foreign Ministry<\/strong> has confirmed that <strong>its Parliament is drafting legislation to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Treaty<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It comes amid <strong>escalating tensions with Israel<\/strong> and renewed scrutiny from the <strong>International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is one of the most widely adhered-to arms control agreements <strong>signed in 1968<\/strong> and entered <strong>into force in 1970.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It was <strong>extended indefinitely in 1995<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Membership Provisions (Two Categories):<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Nuclear-Weapon States (NWS):<\/strong> These are the <strong>five countries<\/strong> that had tested nuclear weapons <strong>before January 1, 1967 <\/strong>\u2014 United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-Nuclear-Weapon States (NNWS):<\/strong> All other signatories<strong> agree not to pursue nuclear weapons<\/strong> and <strong>to accept IAEA safeguards<\/strong> on their nuclear activities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NPT established a <strong>three-pillar framework:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Non-Proliferation:<\/strong> NWS agreed not to transfer nuclear weapons or assist NNWS in acquiring them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disarmament:<\/strong> All parties committed to pursuing negotiations toward nuclear disarmament.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy:<\/strong> To access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under IAEA safeguards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Withdrawal Clause (Article X of NPT):<\/strong> It allows <strong>any state to exit<\/strong> if it determines that <em>\u2018extraordinary events\u2019<\/em> have jeopardized its supreme national interests, provided <strong>it gives three months\u2019 notice to other signatories<\/strong> and the <strong>UN Security Council (UNSC).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Present Status<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India, Pakistan, South Sudan and Israel<\/strong> <strong>never joined<\/strong> the treaty, however they are <strong>known or believed to<\/strong> possess nuclear weapons.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>North Korea<\/strong> joined the NPT in 1985 but <strong>withdrew in 2003.<\/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>Other Important Nuclear Disarmament Treaties<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I &amp; II), 1991\u20131993: <\/strong>These were signed between the<strong> USA and the Soviet Union<\/strong> (later Russia), aimed <strong>to reduce deployed strategic nuclear warheads<\/strong>.<br>&#8211; <strong>Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), 1996:<\/strong> It <strong>bans all nuclear explosions<\/strong> for <strong>both civilian and military<\/strong> purposes.<br>1. It has <strong>not entered into force<\/strong> due to the <strong>non-ratification<\/strong> by the USA, China, India, and Pakistan.<br>&#8211; <strong>Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), 2017:<\/strong> It is the <strong>first legally binding<\/strong> international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons.&nbsp;<br>1. It <strong>entered into force in 2021<\/strong>, though none of the nuclear-armed states have joined.<br>&#8211; <strong>New START Treaty, 2010:<\/strong> It limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Approach NPT<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s position on the Treaty has <strong>remained consistent since the treaty\u2019s inception<\/strong> in 1968.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India\u2019s primary objection<\/strong> lies in the treaty\u2019s division of the <strong>world into nuclear <\/strong><strong><em>\u2018haves\u2019<\/em><\/strong><strong> and \u2018<\/strong><strong><em>have-nots\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s refusal to sign was based on \u2018enlightened self-interest and considerations of national security\u2019, as highlighted by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Parliament.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Alternative Vision<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India has consistently advocated for a <strong>universal, non-discriminatory, and verifiable disarmament regime<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India has proposed a <strong>Nuclear Weapons Convention<\/strong> that would ban the development, production, and use of nuclear weapons globally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Voluntary Commitments and Responsible Conduct By India:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It maintains a voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It adheres to a<strong> No First Use (NFU) policy.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has implemented <strong>stringent export controls<\/strong> and aligned with global regimes like the <strong>Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)<\/strong> and the <strong>Wassenaar Arrangement.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India\u2019s 2008 Civil Nuclear Agreement<\/strong> <strong>with the USA<\/strong> and subsequent waiver from the <strong>Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)<\/strong> further acknowledged its responsible nuclear behavior.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concerns &amp; Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Disarmament Stalemate:<\/strong> Critics argue that nuclear-weapon states have not made sufficient progress toward <strong>disarmament (Article VI of Treaty)<\/strong>, undermining the treaty\u2019s credibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-Compliance and Withdrawal:<\/strong> North Korea\u2019s withdrawal and Iran\u2019s contested nuclear activities have tested the treaty\u2019s enforcement mechanisms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Technological Dual-Use Dilemma:<\/strong> Peaceful nuclear technology can be diverted for weapons development, raising concerns about proliferation risks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Future Outlook<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Strengthening Verification:<\/strong> Expanding the IAEA\u2019s role and universalizing the Additional Protocol could enhance transparency and trust.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bridging the Disarmament Gap:<\/strong> Renewed commitment by nuclear powers to reduce arsenals is essential to maintain the treaty\u2019s legitimacy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Addressing Non-Signatories:<\/strong> Engaging India, Pakistan, and Israel in parallel frameworks may help integrate them into the global non-proliferation regime.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Preventing Weaponization of New Technologies:<\/strong> The rise of cyber threats and autonomous systems necessitates updated safeguards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Preparatory process for the <strong>NPT Review Conference (2026),<\/strong> held every five years to assess progress and address emerging threats, is underway.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ddnews.gov.in\/en\/iran-says-parliament-is-preparing-bill-to-leave-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Source: DD News<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><strong>Read this in Hindi:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs-hindi\/21-06-2025\/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81-%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BF-npt\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs-hindi\/21-06-2025\/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81-%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BF-npt\">\u092a\u0930\u092e\u093e\u0923\u0941 \u0905\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0938\u093e\u0930 \u0938\u0902\u0927\u093f (NPT)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Recently, Iran\u2019s Foreign Ministry has confirmed that its Parliament is drafting legislationto withdraw from the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Treaty.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Present Status<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">India, Pakistan, South Sudan and Israel never joined the treaty, however they are known or believed to possess nuclear weapons.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">North Korea joined the NPT in 1985 but withdrew in 2003.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/21-06-2025\/nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty-npt\" 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-45859","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\/45859","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=45859"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46070,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45859\/revisions\/46070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}