The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is a multilateral international treaty that serves as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. It was opened for signature on July 1, 1968, and entered into force on March 5, 1970, following negotiations by the Eighteen Nation Committee on Disarmament. The treaty was created to solve the problem of potential widespread nuclear weapons technology proliferation, which was a major concern during the Cold War.
The NPT is often described as a "grand bargain" built on three mutually reinforcing pillars:
- Non-Proliferation: Under Article I, the five recognized nuclear-weapon states (NWS)—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—agree not to transfer nuclear weapons or assist non-nuclear-weapon states (NNWS) in acquiring them. Article II obligates NNWS to forgo the manufacture or acquisition of nuclear weapons.
- Disarmament: Article VI commits all parties, particularly the NWS, to pursue good-faith negotiations on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race and to nuclear disarmament.
- Peaceful Use: Article IV affirms the "inalienable right" of all parties to develop, research, and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and encourages the fullest possible exchange of technology for this use.
The treaty connects directly to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is tasked by Article III with verifying the non-proliferation commitments of NNWS through safeguards agreements. The NPT was originally set for a limited duration but was extended indefinitely by consensus in 1995. While the core provisions have not been amended, the treaty's implementation is reviewed every five years at Review Conferences. India, along with Israel, Pakistan, and South Sudan, is not a party to the NPT, as the treaty defines NWS as only those that manufactured and detonated a nuclear explosive device prior to January 1, 1967.