NUCLEAR WEAPON BAN TREATY

Subject : International Relation

Context : The United Nations announced that 50 countries have ratified a UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons triggering its entry into force in 90 days(latest-Honduras).

A move hailed by anti-nuclear activists but strongly opposed by the United States and the other major nuclear powers.

Concept :

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

• The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), or the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with the goal of leading towards their total elimination.
• It was passed on 7 July 2017.
• In order to come into effect, signature and ratification by at least 50 countries is required.
• The treaty prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as assistance and encouragement to the prohibited activities.
• India abstained from voting: India maintained that it recognises the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament-(CD) as the single multilateral disarmament negotiation forum & it is not convinced of the potential of the current treaty to address the disarmament issue.
• It was “not convinced” that the proposed conference could address the longstanding expectation of the international community for a comprehensive instrument on nuclear disarmament.