International Treaties

International Treaties Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty What is CTBT? ™ It is a mu ltilateral treaty banning all nuclear explosions for both military and civilian purposes. ™ It was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It was opened for signature on September . ™ The CTBT with its signatories and ratifications is one of the most widely supported arms-control treaties. ™ It can only enter into force after it is ratified by eight countries with nuclear technology capacity, namely China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States. ™ The Treaty establishes a CTBT Organisation (CTBTO), located in Vienna, to ensure the implementation of its provisions, including provisions for international verification measures. India’s stand on CTBT ™ India did not support the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in and still does not due to following reasons: CTBT does not address complete disarmament (supported by India), discriminatory in nature with permanent UNSC members. ™ Another major concern was the Entry- Into Force (EIF) clause, which India considered a violation of its right to voluntarily withhold participation in an international treaty. The treaty initially made ratification by states that were to be a part of the CTBT’s International Monitoring System (IMS) mandatory for the treaty’s EIF. Because of this, India withdrew its participation from the IMS. Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) ™ Its objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. ™ India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and South Sudan are not parties to this treaty.