The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a multilateral export control regime and a voluntary association of 48 countries that supply nuclear technology and materials. It functions as a politically binding export control regime, not an international organization based on a legally binding treaty. The NSG was established in 1975 in response to India's nuclear explosion in May 1974, which demonstrated that civilian nuclear technology transferred for peaceful purposes could be misused for weapons development. Its primary purpose is to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons by regulating the transfer of civilian nuclear material and technology.
The NSG operates through two sets of Guidelines, published by the IAEA as INFCIRC/254. Part 1 lists materials and technology specifically designed for nuclear use, known as the Trigger List. Part 2 governs the transfer of dual-use items, which have both nuclear and non-nuclear applications. A core mechanism requires that for the transfer of Part 1 items, the recipient state must have comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards covering all its nuclear facilities. The NSG also adopted a "catch-all" mechanism in May 2004, allowing members to block any export suspected of contributing to a nuclear weapons program, even if not on the control lists. All decisions within the NSG are made by consensus.
The NSG is an essential part of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and is closely connected to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), whose objectives its guidelines complement. Its work built upon the earlier efforts of the Zangger Committee, formed in 1971 to clarify export controls under NPT Article III.2. The NSG regularly updates its control lists; for instance, the NSG Part 1 Trigger List was updated in July 2023, and the NSG Part 2 Dual-Use List was updated in July 2025.