India and Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)

A very substantial step, to get a World in which there would be supremacy of five countries rather than a world free from nuclear weapon, was taken in June 1995 in Geneva to adopt the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The treaty contains a comprehensive plan to prohibit nuclear tests. The treaty comprised 154 countries and verified by 51 countries before a review conference was held in Vienna in October 1999. The ratification of America and China is required to get the treaty into force. But these countries have not yet ratified it. Russia signed the treaty on Sep 24, 1996 and ratified it on Jun 30, 2000. The 44 countries, including five nuclear powers are considered as having nuclear capability. And, In order for the CTBT to enter into force internationally, it must first be signed by all 44 nuclear-power countries - and must also be ratified within the respective political institutions of each one within a three- year time limit. Out of 44, 41 countries have signed it, while 26 countries have ratified it. As of March 2015, 164 states have ratified the treaty and 19 states have signed but not ratified it.
India and CTBT:
India opposes the treaty on the ground that it doesn’t speak about destruction of existing nuclear stockpiles. According to the treaty, disarmament of the weapons would solely depend on the attitude of NWS(Nuclear-weapon states). Also, India’s growing security concerns about Pakistan’s acquisition of nuclear weapons capability and the assistance that China has provided in this regard is one major reason why India chose to oppose CTBT in 1996. CTBT would not help towards nuclear disarmament since it only banned nuclear explosive testing, but not other activities related to nuclear weapons, such as sub-critical (non-nuclear explosive) experiments, or computer simulations.
Why India should accede to CTBT
It provides a great opportunity to tap into a wealth of data generated by the CTBTO’s International Monitoring Stations. It will help India to respond to global developments in nuclear disarmament and arms control as a responsible stakeholder in the non-proliferation regime. It also will revive the India’s long-forgotten tradition of campaigning for global nuclear disarmament. India has been seeking the membership of various strategic export control cartels such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). But it will now be harder for it to convince the European non-proliferation supporters to continue to treat India as an exception, without making a substantive normative offer in return (signing CTBT). Once India signs the CTBT, some of the other hold-out states are likely to follow, such as Pakistan. Others like the U.S. and China would also come under pressure to accede to it. Thus India will be able to reverse the current non-proliferation pressure which makes sense not only from a strategic point of view but also from a normative perspective. Signing the CTBT, then, is in India’s enlightened self-interest.
India and Nuclear disarmament
In 1978, India proposed a ban on nuclear weapons testing, this time as part of a defined program of nuclear disarmament. The proposal was made at the Special Session of the U.N. General Assembly on 9 June 1978 by then Prime Minister Morarji Desai. The first step of the proposal contained four elements: (i) A declaration that utilization of nuclear technology for military purposes, including research in weapon technology, should be outlawed; (ii) Qualitative and quantitative limitations on nuclear weapons and an immediate freeze under international inspection; (iii) Formulation of a time-bound program not exceeding a decade for gradual reduction of the stockpile with a view to achieving total elimination of all nuclear weapons; and (iv) A Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty. In 1982, India proposed another program, which included a proposal for a convention on no use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, a freeze on the manufacture of nuclear weapons combined with a cut-off in the production of fissionable material for weapons purposes, arid a test-ban treaty.  The self moratorium imposed by India is an example of our stand that, our nuclear programme is only for alternate purpose. The commitment becomes more authentic with our proposal of ‘no first use’ which was rejected by Pakistan. India actively participated in nuclear disarmanet proramme, but it is against a global order where some countries have weapons of mass destruction and the rest are at their mercy. We aspire for a world based on equality and respect for each other.India believes in peace based on cooperation, and not under the cover of fear.
 

By: Vishal