UPSC PT Pointers

The recent protests against Microsoft over allegations that its Azure cloud services were used to support Israeli military operations, and the concerns about the Wassenaar Arrangement’s export control framework, highlight the growing ethical, legal, and security challenges in regulating dual-use technologies. What is the Wassenaar Arrangement? The Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) is a multilateral export control regime designed to regulate the international trade of sensitive dual-use te

Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement

The Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) is a significant arms control deal aimed at reducing the risk of nuclear proliferation and securing the disposal of excess weapons-grade plutonium, which both Russia and the United States accumulated during the Cold War. Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) Background and Purpose: The PMDA was signed in 2000 between the U.S. and Russia, and came into force in 2011. The agreement was born out of

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty

Recently, Russia officially declared that it no longer considers itself bound by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. About the INF Treaty The INF Treaty was a pivotal arms control agreement signed between the United States and the Soviet Union (now Russia) in 1987. The agreement aimed to address the growing concerns of nuclear proliferation in Europe and the escalating arms race during the Cold War. Objective The treaty was designed to de-escalate the nuclear arm

UNSC Resolutions 2593

UNSC Resolutions 2593 Despite the abstention of two “P5” countries — Russia and China — from the India-led United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2593, the Government of India said it was a “matter of satisfaction” that the resolution addressed India’s “key concerns” on Afghanistan. P5 refers to the five permanent members of the UNSC — China, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S. According to official sources,

01 September, 2021
International treaties and conventions
U.N Related
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. IAEA’s genesis was U.S. President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” address to the United Nations General Assembly in 1953. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization in 1957 and was not under the direct c

21 June, 2021
International treaties and conventions
Nuclear weapons
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OPCW (Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons)

OPCW (Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) Not under UN. Independent, autonomous body having a working relationship with UN. It implements the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997. It prohibits Developing, producing, acquiring, stockpiling or retaining Chemical Weapons. Direct or indirect transfer. Use or military prepare for use. Assisting, encouraging, and inducing other states in engaging in such acts. Use of riot

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure CDRI is to be seen as an international knowledge platform. Here, countries can collaborate to make their existing and new infrastructure strong enough to withstand natural disasters. It tries to bring countries together to share and learn from one another’s experiences to protect their infrastructure against disasters. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is operating as the interim secretariat of CDRI as of now.

BIO International Convention

BIO International Convention The BIO International Convention is hosted by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). India is represented by the Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences. The key benefits of attending the BIO International Convention are access to global biotech and pharma leaders via BIO One-on-One Partnering, exposure to industry thought-leaders and networking opportunities. BIO is the largest trade organization in the world that represe

14 May, 2020
International treaties and conventions
Climate Change
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TIR Convention

TIR Convention India became the 71st country to ratify the United Nations TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention. TIR Convention is an international transit system under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It came into force in 1975. The TIR Convention facilitates the international carriage of goods from one or more customs offices of departure to one or more customs offices of destination (up to a total of four customs offices departu