Context:
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Hague award 2024 acknowledges ICC contributions to Chemical Weapon Convention (CWC).
Indian Chemical Council (ICC):
- Apex national body representing all branches of India’s chemical industry, including organic/inorganic chemicals, plastics, and petrochemicals.
- Founded in 1938 to support and drive the growth of India’s chemical industry.
- Represents over 80% of India’s $220 billion chemical industry.
- Key Initiatives –
- CWC Helpdesks – Facilitates efficient e-filing for chemical declarations.
- ‘Nicer Globe’ Initiative – Enhances chemical transportation safety with real-time monitoring and emergency response capabilities.
- ‘Responsible Care’ (RC) Programme – Promotes chemical safety and security through various activities.
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC):
- Came into force in 1997 and currently has 193 States Parties.
- Objective – Aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer, or use of chemical weapons.
- Implementation – By Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
- India’s Role – India is an original signatory to the Convention.
- National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) is responsible for implementing the Convention in India.
- NACWC was established under the Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2000
- Key Features –
- Prohibitions: Bans the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, or use of chemical weapons.
- Destruction: Mandates the destruction of existing chemical weapons and production facilities under OPCW verification.
- Verification: Includes provisions for systematic evaluation of chemical production facilities and investigations of allegations of use and production of chemical weapons.
- Challenge Inspections: Allows any State Party to request a surprise inspection if there are doubts about another State Party’s compliance.
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
With reference to ‘Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)’, consider the following statements:
1. It is an organisation of the European Union in working relation with NATO and WHO.
2. It monitors the chemical industry to prevent new weapons from emerging.
3. It provides assistance and protection to States (Parties) against chemical weapons threats.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2016 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is not correct: The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is an autonomous intergovernmental organisation and the implementing body for the Chemical Weapon Convention.