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Q88 (IAS/2015) International Relations & Global Affairs › Global Indices, Reports & Agreements › Nuclear arms control regime Official Key

Consider the following countries : 1. China 2. France 3. India 4. Israel 5. Pakistan Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 recognized as nuclear weapon states only those countries that had tested and manufactured nuclear weapons before 1967[2]. The five nuclear weapon powers recognized under the NPT are the US, USSR, UK, France, and China – also the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council[4].

From the given list, only **China (1)** and **France (2)** are recognized as Nuclear Weapons States under the NPT. India conducted its first nuclear explosion in May 1974[4], which was after the 1967 cutoff date, and therefore India is not recognized as a Nuclear Weapons State under the NPT. India opposes NPT and CTBT due to their discriminatory and hegemonic nature[6]. Similarly, Israel and Pakistan conducted their nuclear programs after 1967 and are not recognized as Nuclear Weapons States under the NPT.

Therefore, the correct answer is **option A: 1 and 2 only** (China and France).

Sources
  1. [1] Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Security in the Contemporary World > Security in the Contemporary World 69 > p. 69
  2. [2] Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Security in the Contemporary World > Security in the Contemporary World 69 > p. 69
  3. [3] Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Indi External Relations > India's nuclear policy > p. 68
  4. [4] Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Indi External Relations > India's nuclear policy > p. 68
  5. [5] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 88: Foreign Policy > II I Disarmament > p. 610
  6. [6] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 88: Foreign Policy > II I Disarmament > p. 610
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Q. Consider the following countries : 1. China 2. France 3. India 4. Israel 5. Pakistan Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as …
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 6/10 · 4/10
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This is a classic 'Definition Application' question directly from NCERT Political Science (Class XII). The key isn't memorizing a list of countries, but understanding the NPT's 'discriminatory' criteria (pre-1967 testing) which aligns exactly with the UN Security Council's P5 members.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is China recognized as a Nuclear-Weapon State under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Security in the Contemporary World > Security in the Contemporary World 69 > p. 69
Presence: 4/5
“The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 was an arms control treaty in the sense that it regulated the acquisition of nuclear weapons: those countries that had tested and manufactured nuclear weapons before 1967 were allowed to keep their weapons; and those that had not done so were to give up the right to acquire them. The NPT did not abolish nuclear weapons; rather, it limited the number of countries that could have them.”
Why this source?
  • Defines NPT rule that countries which had tested/manufactured nuclear weapons before 1967 were allowed to keep them
  • Establishes the legal criterion used by NPT to recognize existing nuclear-weapon states
Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Indi External Relations > India's nuclear policy > p. 68
Presence: 5/5
“Another crucial development of this period was the first nuclear explosion undertaken by India in May 1974. Nehru had always put his faith in science and technology for rapidly building a modern India. A significant component of his industrialisation plans was the nuclear programme initiated in the late 1940s under the guidance of Homi J. Bhabha. India wanted to generate atomic energy for peaceful purposes. Nehru was against nuclear weapons. So he pleaded with the superpowers for comprehensive nuclear disarmament. However, the nuclear arsenal kept rising. When Communist China conducted nuclear tests in October 1964, the five nuclear weapon powers, the US, USSR, UK, France, and China (Taiwan then represented China) – also the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council – tried to impose the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 on the rest of the world.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly lists China alongside US, USSR, UK and France as the five nuclear weapon powers around the time of the NPT
  • Notes China had conducted nuclear tests in October 1964, placing it before the 1967 cutoff referenced in NPT rule
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 88: Foreign Policy > II I Disarmament > p. 610
Presence: 4/5
“India opposes NPT and CTBT due to their discriminatory and hegemonic nature. They perceive an international system in which only five nations (USA, Russia, China, UK and France) can legitimately possess nuclear weapons.”
Why this source?
  • States that India perceives five nations (USA, Russia, China, UK and France) as legitimately possessing nuclear weapons
  • Reinforces the identification of China as one of the five recognized nuclear powers
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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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