Nuclear weapons:‘One-Way Road to Annihilation’ 

Syllabus: GS3/Internal Security

Context

• United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the risk of nuclear conflict is rising as global security arrangements weaken, urging governments to push for total disarmament.

Dangers of nuclear weapons

• The catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons were first witnessed during the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
  • It resulted in over 200,000 deaths and long-term health issues due to radiation exposure.
• The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), demonstrates how close humanity has come to catastrophic outcomes due to misunderstandings and miscalculations.
• The “Doomsday Clock,” a symbolic measure of humanity’s proximity to catastrophe, was moved one second closer to midnight in January 2025. It highlights the increasing danger posed by nuclear weapons.
  • This calls for renewed efforts toward nuclear disarmament to ensure global security and stability.
• A nuclear war could trigger a “nuclear winter,” where soot and debris block sunlight, disrupting global agriculture and threatening mass starvation.
• Human error, technical malfunctions, or cyberattacks could trigger unintended nuclear detonations.

Nuclear Powers in the World

• There are nine countries recognized as possessing nuclear weapons. 
• These countries are often referred to as “nuclear-armed states” or “nuclear powers.” 
• United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel.

What is Nuclear Disarmament?

• Disarmament refers to the act of eliminating or abolishing weapons (particularly offensive arms) either unilaterally or reciprocally. 
• It may refer either to reducing the number of arms, or to eliminating entire categories of weapons.

Treaties Related to Nuclear Disarmament

• The Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the world’s sole multilateral forum for negotiating arms control and disarmament agreements.
  • Comprising 65 member states, the Conference has played a key role in shaping treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT): Signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970, the NPT aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament. 
• Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW): Adopted by the United Nations in 2017 the TPNW aims to prohibit the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use, and threat of use of nuclear weapons.
  • It represents a significant step towards nuclear disarmament, although it has not been signed by nuclear-armed states.
• Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT): Opened for signature in 1996, the CTBT aims to ban all nuclear explosions for both civilian and military purposes.
  • While the treaty has been signed by 185 countries and ratified by 170, it has not entered into force as nuclear-armed states must ratify it to become operational.
• Outer Space Treaty: This multilateral agreement entered into force in 1967 and bans the siting of weapons of mass destruction in space.
  • All nine states believed to have nuclear weapons are parties to this treaty.

Way Ahead

• Disarmament is seen as a crucial step towards reducing the risks and promoting international peace and stability.
• While achieving complete Disarmament may be a long-term objective, incremental progress can still be made through concerted international efforts and cooperation. 

Source: UN