Explained | Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

Bonnie Jenkins, the US Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, said the Indo-Pacific region will be safe, secure, and peaceful because of the AUKUS partnership.

The first major initiative of AUKUS was the trilateral decision to support Australia acquiring conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs).

She highlighted that Australia would continue to be a non-nuclear State and will not acquire nuclear weapons, and that AUKUS does not in any way violate the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).  

All three countries — the US, the UK, and Australia — are parties to the NPT. 

Australia is not going to be developing any nuclear weapons. It is not going to acquire nuclear weapons. It is not going to enrich uranium or reprocess spent fuel, she said. 

When the AUKUS leaders announced the initiative in September 2021, they committed to meeting countries’ respective nuclear non-proliferation obligations, setting the highest non-proliferation standard, and strengthening the non-proliferation regime while protecting classified and controlled information.

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

• The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. 

• The Treaty represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States. 

• Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in March 1970. 

• On May 11, 1995, the Treaty was extended indefinitely.

• Nuclear-weapon States parties under the Treaty are defined as those that manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device before January 1, 1967. 

• These countries are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. All other states are non-nuclear-weapon States under the Treaty.

• A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States. 

• India has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapon State.

• Under the NPT, non-nuclear-weapon States parties have committed themselves not to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices while nuclear-weapon States parties have committed not to in any way assist, encourage or induce any non-nuclear-weapon State party to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. 

• The Treaty is regarded as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and an essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. 

• It was designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, to further the goals of nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament, and to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy

• More countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and disarmament agreement, a testament to the Treaty’s significance.

The NPT has three main pillars: 

i) Non-proliferation

ii) Disarmament

iii) Peaceful uses of nuclear energy. 

• The treaty provides ongoing security benefits to all States by curbing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and it commits nuclear-weapon States to work towards disarmament. 

• The NPT enables the international community to benefit from the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and technology, supporting human health, agriculture, food and water security, and the environment.

• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is central to the implementation of NPT commitments on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy through its system of international nuclear safeguards, and as a multilateral forum for supporting the peaceful applications of nuclear technology.

• The Treaty is reviewed every five years. The primary objectives of these five-yearly Review Conferences are to assess developments since the previous conference, to address current challenges, and to identify areas for further progress.