In News
- India participated in the high-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear
About: India’s Policy of No First Use (NFU)
- India’s Nuclear Doctrine
- It was first time released in 2003 and was based on the No First Use Policy principle.
- However, India’s nuclear retaliation to a first strike will me massive and aimed to inflict maximum damage.
- The doctrine also stated that government may consider using nuclear weapons to retaliate against any attacks by chemical and biological weapons.
- It was first time released in 2003 and was based on the No First Use Policy principle.
- No First Use (NFU) Policy
- At the high level plenary meeting, India reiterated its nuclear doctrine of “No First Use” against nuclear weapon states and non-use against non-nuclear weapon states.
- This implies that India’s nuclear arsenal would be used only as a nuclear deterrent.
- India firmly believes in world free of nuclear weapons but reserves the right to retaliate if attacked by nukes.
- India’s stance has remained same since 1998 when India carried out series of nuclear tests in 1998.
- At the high level plenary meeting, India reiterated its nuclear doctrine of “No First Use” against nuclear weapon states and non-use against non-nuclear weapon states.
India’s Commitment to Nuclear Disarmament
- India has repeatedly reiterated its commitment to a universal, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.
- This will be in line with the final document of the First Special Session of the UN General Assembly on disarmament.
- India’s approach to nucleardisarmament was encapsulated in its working paper submitted to the UNGA First Committee in 2006 and to the Conference on Disarmament in 2007.
- India believes that nucleardisarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework.
- India remains convinced of the need for dialogue among all states possessing nuclearweapons, for building trust and confidence.
- According to the government, India has since 1998 tabled an annual resolution in the UNGA on ‘Reducing NuclearDanger’ that calls for steps to reduce the risks of unintentional and accidental use of nuclear
About: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
- The UN General Assembly commemorates 26 September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
- The General Assembly declared the International Day in December 2013, in its resolution 68/32 as a follow-up to the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament held on 26 September 2013.
- The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons has been observed annually since 2014.
- Purpose
- This Day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority.
- The purpose of the International Day is to further the objective of the total elimination of nuclear weapons through enhancing public awareness and education about the threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons and the necessity for their total elimination.
- Commemorating this Day at the United Nations is especially important, given its universal membership and its long experience in grappling with nuclear disarmament issues.
- This Day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority.
About: Nuclear Disarmament
- Disarmament is the best protection against such dangers, but achieving this goal has been a tremendously difficult challenge.
- A number of multilateral treaties have since been established with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation and testing, while promoting progress in nuclear disarmament.
- Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
- It entered into force in 1970.
- The Non-Proliferation Treaty, allows the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia to maintain nuclear weapons if they move toward eventual nuclear disarmament.
- Three countries-India, Israel and Pakistan have nuclear weapons but have not signed onto the treaty.
- North Korea was previously a member but withdrew from the treaty and developed nuclear weapons.
- It entered into force in 1970.
- Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests In The Atmosphere, In Outer Space And Under Water
- The Partial Test Ban Treaty(PTBT) is the abbreviated name of the 1963 Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water.
- It prohibited all test detonations of nuclear weapons except for those conducted underground.
- It was succeeded by the CTBT.
- The Partial Test Ban Treaty(PTBT) is the abbreviated name of the 1963 Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water.
- Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
- The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty(CTBT) is a multilateral treaty that bans all nuclear tests, for both civilian and military purposes, in all environments.
- It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996, but has not entered into force, as eight specific nations have not ratified the treaty.
- These eight States are- China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the United States.
- The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty(CTBT) is a multilateral treaty that bans all nuclear tests, for both civilian and military purposes, in all environments.
- Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
- It was opened for signature in 2017 but has yet to enter into force.
- It includes a comprehensive set of prohibitions on participating in any nuclear weapon activities.
- These include undertakings not to develop, test, produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.
- The Treaty also prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons on national territory and the provision of assistance to any State in the conduct of prohibited activities.
- It was opened for signature in 2017 but has yet to enter into force.
Bilateral and Multilateral Arrangements
- A number of bilateral and plurilateral arrangements seek to reduce or eliminate certain categories of nuclear weapons, to prevent the proliferation of such weapons and their delivery vehicles. These include-
- The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
- The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was created following the explosion in 1974 of a nuclear device by a non-nuclear-weapon State, which demonstrated that nuclear technology transferred for peaceful purposes could be misused.
- It is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through the implementation of two sets of Guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports.
- The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was created following the explosion in 1974 of a nuclear device by a non-nuclear-weapon State, which demonstrated that nuclear technology transferred for peaceful purposes could be misused.
- Missile Technology Control Regime
- The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an informal political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology.
- The regime was formed in 1987 by the G-7 industrialized countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the United States).
- India is also a member of MTCR.
- The MTCR seeks to limit the risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by controlling exports of goods and technologies that could make a contribution to delivery systems (other than manned aircraft) for such weapons.
- In this context, the Regime places particular focus on rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles capable of delivering a payload of at least 500 kg to a range of at least 300 km and on equipment, software, and technology for such systems.
- The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an informal political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology.
- Wassenaar Arrangement
- The Wassenaar Arrangement has been established in order to contribute to regional and international security and stability, by promoting transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, thus preventing destabilising accumulations.
- The aim is also to prevent the acquisition of these items by terrorists.
- Participating States seek, through their national policies, to ensure that transfers of these items do not contribute to the development or enhancement of military capabilities which undermine these goals, and are not diverted to support such capabilities.
- The Wassenaar Arrangement has been established in order to contribute to regional and international security and stability, by promoting transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, thus preventing destabilising accumulations.
International Relations
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