Global Security Newswire

India's policy on future nuclear-weapon tests could help determine whether the country becomes a permanent, veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, a former U.S. arms control official told the Indo-Asian News Service yesterday (see GSN, Oct. 5).

A decision to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty could improve India's chances of gaining a permanent seat on the body, said Rodney Jones, who helped negotiate the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty while at the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.

Before the treaty can enter into force, it must be ratified by 44 "Annex 2" nations. Nine holdouts remain within that group -- China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States.

“If China ratifies the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the spotlight will fall on Pakistan and India,” Jones said, noting that possible U.S. ratification of the document could be delayed for as long as two years by other legislative priorities.

Calls by some Indian scientists and officials for New Delhi to conduct additional nuclear tests might have been aimed at bolstering domestic opposition to ratifying the treaty, he suggested. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to discuss nuclear matters with Obama administration officials during a visit to Washington late next month (Indo-Asian News Service/Thaindian News, Oct. 22).