GS 3: IR – Events

Why in news?

The executive secretary of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) has offered India an ‘Observer’ status and access to state-of-art International Monitoring System (IMS) data.

CTBT:

• The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is the Treaty banning all nuclear explosions – everywhere, by everyone.
• The Treaty was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It opened for signature on 24 September 1996.
• It curbs the development of new nuclear weapons and the improvement of existing nuclear weapon designs. When the Treaty enters into force it provides a legally binding norm against nuclear testing.
• The Treaty also helps prevent human suffering and environmental damages caused by nuclear testing.

India and the CTBT:

• India can benefit immensely from becoming a CTBT Observer as the organisation setting has changed a lot over the years.
• India will have access to the data available which was traditionally not made available.