First meeting of TPNW

On 21-23 June 2022 the first meeting of States Parties to the TPNW (Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons) was took place in Vienna. The aim of that meeting is to advance the implementation of the treaty’s provisions and examine ways to strengthen it.

About Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW): It was adopted on 7 July 2017 and opened for signature on 20^th September, 2017.

• While came into force on 22^nd January, 2021 after Honduras became the 50^th state to ratify the treaty.
• Also known as the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons with the ultimate goal being their total elimination.

There are currently 92 signatories and 68 states parties

• Salient Features: It prohibits States Parties from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, acquiring, possessing, or stockpiling nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
• Signatories are barred from transferring or receiving nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices control over such weapons, or any assistance with activities prohibited under the Treaty.
• States are also prohibited from using or threatening to use nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices.
• States Parties cannot allow the stationing, installation, or deployment of nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices in their territory.
• Non-nuclear-weapon states are required to have, at a minimum, a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) “without prejudice” to any future additional agreements.
• Significance: The Treaty is the first multilateral legally-binding instrument of the international humanitarian law to mitigate the catastrophic consequences of using and testing the nuclear weapons.

India’s Stand: India has not yet signed or ratified the NPTW.

• India remains committed to the policy of No First Use (NFU) against nuclear weapon states and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon states.
• India has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the treaty and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”.
• India believes that the treaty does not constitute or contribute to the development of customary international law, nor does it set any new standards or norms.
• India maintained that it recognizes 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.