Context:
SIPRI Yearbook 2024 launched
Key Highlights:
- 9 nuclear-armed states — US, Russia, UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel — continue to modernize their nuclear arsenals.
- Of total nuclear warheads, almost 90% belongs to USA and Russia.
- Global reductions of operational warheads appear to have stalled with China expanding its nuclear arsenal.
- India slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal to 172 in 2023, surpassing Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal for 1st time.
- Along with Israel, India mainly uses Plutonium as fissile material in nuclear weapons
- India is strengthening the undersea leg of its nuclear triad as well as developing long-range missiles.
India’s Nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN):
- India presently has 1 SSBN – INS Arihant, an Arihant Class SSBN
- Developed indigenously under – Advanced Technology Vessel program.
- INS Arighat – India’s 2nd SSBN, being built as an upgraded version of INS Arihant.
- 3rd submarine is still scheduled to be completed around 2024.
Measures taken for Nuclear Disarmament:
- Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons 2017 – Prohibits development, testing, production, acquisition, possession, or use of nuclear weapons.
- Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) 1968 – Aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy and achieve nuclear disarmament.
- Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), 1996 – It prohibits nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, outer space and under water
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
What is/are the consequence/consequences of a country becoming a member of the ‘Nuclear Suppliers Group’?
1. It will have access to the latest and most efficient nuclear technologies.
2. It automatically becomes a member of “The Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)”.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
Statement 2 is incorrect. A country becoming a member of the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) becomes a member of ‘Nuclear Suppliers Group’.
