Rapid Fire
55th Anniversary of NPT
- 11 Mar 2025
- 2 min read
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) marks 55 years on 5th March, 2025.
- It was approved by the UN General Assembly on 12th June, 1968 and came into force on 5th March, 1970.
- About NPT: It is the only multilateral binding treaty for Nuclear-Weapon States (NWS) to disarmament while promoting peaceful nuclear energy use.
- Key Provisions: It defines NWS as countries possessing nuclear weapons before 1st January , 1967 (USA, UK, France, China, and USSR/Russia).
- Non-nuclear states agree not to develop nuclear weapons, while nuclear states pledge not to transfer them.
- It allows peaceful use of nuclear energy and provides a withdrawal option if national security is threatened.
- Membership: 191 members with 5 NWS (US, Russia, UK, France & China).
- India is not a member.
- Monitoring: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitors compliance.
- India and NPT: India opposes the NPT, calling it discriminatory, as it legitimizes nuclear weapons for five countries while denying the same right to others.
- India follows a "No First Use" (NFU) policy and is committed to global nuclear disarmament.
Read More: Nuclear Disarmament