• The Russian Defence Ministry recently confirmed that the country’s newest nuclear-powered submarine has successfully test-launched a ballistic missile.
• This comes just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin revoked Moscow’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty (CTBT) — adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996 to prohibit all testing of nuclear weapons.
• This puts Russia in the same category as the USA, a signatory that is yet to ratify the agreement.
• Russia has, however, maintained that it will not conduct nuclear tests as long as the US does not conduct any.
• The US signed the CTBT on 24 September 1996 but is yet to ratify the agreement.

 ABOUT CTBT

• It bans all nuclear explosions, whether for military or peaceful purposes.
• It seeks to establish CTBT Organization (CTBTO) to verify the ban worldwide.
• It was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in 1994.
• In 1996, the United Nations adopted the CTBT, which imposed a complete ban on nuclear weapons testing, closing the gaps left by previous treaties.
• The CTBT became available for signature in September 1996, signifying a major advancement in the global endeavour to halt nuclear testing across the world.
• It has been signed by 187 nations and ratified by 178.
  • However, the treaty cannot formally enter into force until it is ratified by 44 specific nations.
  • Eight of these nations have yet to ratify the treaty- China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, Egypt, United States.
• India’s stand-
  • India has neither signed nor ratified the CTBT.
  • It was a part of the negotiations in 1996, but later withdrew before it was concluded.
  • India calls for universal and complete nuclear disarmament in a time-bound manner.