Myanmar
Country Spotlight
Myanmar is not believed to have either nuclear or biological weapons programs, and, despite accusations, there is no conclusive evidence of a chemical weapons program. Myanmar maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea, which is suspected of cooperating with Myanmar on missile development. Myanmar is a party to most applicable treaties and international regimes.
See Myanmar's performance in
Region East Asia and the Pacific
200 Employees of the Department of Atomic Energy
2023 Signed agreement with Russia for construction of a nuclear power plant
1992 Signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT)
Nuclear
- Party to both the NPT and Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone since early 1990s
- Established the Department of Atomic Energy within the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1997
- In 2024, Russia approved the construction of a low-power nuclear power plant, which would be the first nuclear power plant in Myanmar
- In March 2025, Myanmar signed an agreement with Russia for cooperation on the development of a 110 MW small modular reactor project, consisting of two 55 MW Rosatom reactors. The agreement includes the possibility of a further expansion of capacity up to 330 MW.
Biological
- Maintains a limited biotechnology sector, including operation of the Biotechnology Development Center at Pathein University, established in 2004
- Ratified the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in 2014
- No evidence of a biological weapons program
Missile
- Officials visited missile-related facilities in North Korea in 2008
- Reports of missile development cooperation with North Korea in 2022
Chemical
- Many allegations of a covert chemical weapons program, but no verifiable evidence
- Ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 2015
- Operates a small chemical industrial sector, but imports all its toxic industrial chemicals