Disarmament

• The word disarmament means the reduction or disbandment by a state of its

weapons – conventional as well as nuclear. Disarmament may be partial or general.
Partial disarmament stands for the reduction of special types of weapons which are
generally considered to be more dangerous. General and complete disarmament
stands for abolition of all kinds of weapons.

• The disarmament may be self imposed, externally imposed or due to international or

regional treaties.

• Though the general disarmament is the ideal position, the partial disarmament is the
more pragmatic approach.
 Disarmament

• The concept of disarmament has originated from an understanding that

weapons are the source of tension which at times create wars. The stock
piling of arms instills mutual fear and hostility into interstate relations.

• The context of Self-defense?

• Several attempts were made by the Western powers and Russia. But none of
these attempts could become successful because of deep rooted suspicions
against the big powers. The moves for disarmament were so designed that
interests of the proposers could be protected.
• In 1899, First international disarmament conference was held in Hague
(Hague Peace Conference – 1899 and 1907). All European major powers
attended the conference which ended without much success.

• However, it passed resolutions forbidding certain type of deadly weapons,

and asking the states to limit the military expenses so that more funds could
be diverted for developmental purpose.

• When First World War broke out in 1914, all waring countries broke their
commitment.
• After the war, the first international organisation, named the League of Nations served
as a forum for holding discussions on the issues connected with the disarmament. The
League of Nations convened the World Disarmament Conference in 1932.

• The large scale destruction in Second World War and the devastating impact of the
explosion of atom bombs on Japan undermined the disarmament commitments.

• The UN General Assembly in its very first session in 1946 founded the United
Nations Atomic Energy Commission (UNAEC), which was asked to make specific
recommendations for the elimination of weapons. The UN General Assembly also
called the UNAEC to prepare plan for the peaceful use of the atomic energy for the
developmental purpose. (disbanded in 1952)
• In the wake of the Second World war, efforts for disarmament increased.
After the war, the USA put forward a proposal on June 14, 1946, named as
the Baruch Plan. It called for the establishment of an International Atomic
Development Authority to control all fissile material production with
enforcement provided by international inspections.

• Soviet Union rejected the same – objected to the international control of

fissile material production before achieving disarmament, feared the
plan would preserve the American nuclear monopoly.
• In response to the US plan, the USSR came out with the Gromyko Plan which
was diametrically opposed to the Baruch Plan: called for immediate
prohibition of all manufacture and use of atomic weapons, dismantlement
of all nuclear weapons before agreeing to an international supervisory
scheme and wanted to retain Security Council veto power over the commission.

• After the failure of these plans, more plans were proposed by both the sides.
The plans and proposals so far advocated by the different powers were so
designed that the proposer's monopoly over its weapons remained frozen
indefinitely.
• However the disarmament movement started registering progress from the early 1960's.

• In 1950's both the USA and the USSR were placed under new administration. In USA
General Eisenhower came in power following presidential election in 1952 and in the
USSR due to Stalin's death a new leadership emerged. President Eisenhower proposed
Atoms for Peace Programme.

• The US Atomic Energy Act, 1954 prohibited the transfer of nuclear technology to other
countries.

• Besides, the USSR acquired the capability of making of nuclear weapons. It brought
the USSR near to the nuclear capability of the USA. These developments created the
way to achieve some success in disarmament.
Partial Test Ban Treaty, 1963 [PTBT]:
• The Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and
under Water is commonly known as PTBT which was signed in Moscow in 1963.
• The treaties provided that all parties to the treaty were to prohibit, prevent and not
to carry out any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion at
any place under its jurisdiction or control.
• This treaty did not prohibit nuclear tests underground.
• It was proposed to convert this treaty into a comprehensive test ban treaty and to
this effect, an Amendment Conference was held in 1991. However, the conference
failed to reach a unanimous conclusion.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 1968 [NPT]
• The treaty dealt with non-‘proliferation’ (production and transfer) of nuclear weapons, fissile
materials and related technology by the non-nuclear weapon states.
• There are 2 kinds of states involved in this – Nuclear Weapon States and the Non-Nuclear Weapon
States,
• There exist some obligations on the Nuclear Weapon States (China, France, the Russian Federation,
the United Kingdom and the United States) (Other NWS aren’t parties to NPT). They undertake – a)
Not to transfer any nuclear weapons or explosive devices. They will also not transfer any control over
such weapons or devices directly or indirectly. b) Not to assist, encourage, or indulge manufacture or
production or acquiring of nuclear weapons.
• The Non-Nuclear Weapon States undertake – a) Not to receive any nuclear weapons or other devices
or control over them. b) Not to produce, manufacture, or acquire such nuclear weapons or devices.
• The parties to the Treaty undertake to facilitate and participate in the exchange
of equipment, materials, and scientific information for the purpose of peaceful
uses of nuclear energy.
• Purpose:
• The treaty provides for the prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons
and devices.
• It ensures that peaceful nuclear activities of non-nuclear states are not
diverted into producing nuclear weapons.
• It promotes peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
• It also encourages and promotes nuclear disarmament.
• The main problem with NPT is that the Nuclear Weapon States are under no
obligation to commit themselves to total nuclear disarmament.
• It has been criticized as it is an unequal and discriminatory treaty in the sense
that there is a considerable asymmetry of the treaty rights and obligations of
the nuclear powers and the non-nuclear weapon states.
• The result was that even though the treaty provided for non-proliferation, it
resulted in the horizontal and vertical proliferation of nuclear weapons.
• Vertical proliferation can be defined as the advancement or modernization of
a nation-state's nuclear arsenal, whereas horizontal proliferation is the
direct or indirect transfer of technologies from one nation-state to another.
• Non-Nuclear Weapon States criticizes the treaty to be discriminatory as it
focuses on preventing only horizontal proliferation while there is no limit
for vertical proliferation.
• Non-Nuclear Weapon States groupings demand that the Nuclear Weapon
States should renounce their arsenals and further production in return for the
commitment of Non-Nuclear Weapon States not to produce them.
• There are a total of nine nations that possess nuclear weapons. Five of the
nations namely – US, UK, France, Russia and China have signed the treaty.
The remaining four nations namely – India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea
have not signed the treaty and thus not a party to the treaty.
• North Korea became a state party to the NPT in 1985, but announced in 2003
that it would no longer be bound by the treaty.
• The main drawbacks of the treaty are that it never held accountable the 5
nations who possessed nuclear weapons at the time when the treaty was
signed. At the same time, the enforcement of the treaty is also a serious cause
for concern.
• The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a treaty banning all
nuclear test explosions anywhere in the world. The Treaty was negotiated at the
Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in 1994 and adopted by the United Nations
General Assembly. It was opened for signature in 1996. The Treaty has been signed by
186 nations (ratified by 177 nations).
• The objectives of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty:
• The CTBT has been seen as an essential step toward nuclear disarmament.
• The CTBT aims to prevent further horrendous health and environmental damage
caused by nuclear test explosions once and for all.
• It curbs the development of new nuclear weapons and the improvement of existing
nuclear weapon designs.
• CTBT has not come into force as 8 out of the 44 annex 2 countries have
not ratified the CTBT (China, U.S., India, Pak, Iran, Israel, North Korea,
Egypt).
• India is not a member of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Treaty. India’s is neither a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation
Treaty (NPT) nor to the CTBT because it believes its present format

to be discriminatory as it places limitations on states that do not

have nuclear weapons while making no efforts to curb

weapons development by declared nuclear weapons states.
• Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (2017): Article 1 contains
prohibitions against the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer,
use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as against assistance and
encouragement to the prohibited activities. Finally, any direct or indirect
"control over nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices" is
forbidden.
• Latest treaty on disarmament.
• Came into force in 2021. But none of the NW states are a party to the treaty.
Hence, the treaty as it exists today, is not helpful in disarmament.
• https://www.icanw.org/nuclear_weapons_history