Every year, September 26 is the International Day for the total elimination of Nuclear Weapons. According to the United Nations, "this day is an occasion to create awareness amongst people about the danger of nuclear weapons and the need to eliminate the nuclear weapons from earth."
The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in December 2013 to observe September 28 as an International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
On September 26 2013, the United Nations General Assembly held a high-level meeting on nuclear disarmament in New York, the United States of America.
The first International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons was observed in 2014.
Nuclear bombs need fissile material. Fissile material is a type of nuclide capable of fission after capturing low-energy thermal neutrons. Here, fission means splitting an atom into two after being hit by a low-energy thermal neutron, releasing a tremendous amount of energy and additional neutrons. These additional neutrons hit the other atoms, and a similar process is repeated, which is called a chain reaction.
If the chain reaction is controlled, it can be used to produce electricity; if the chain reaction is uncontrolled, it becomes an atom bomb.
Thus, at present, the three known fissile materials are enriched uranium 233, enriched uranium 235 and enriched plutonium 239.
The discovery of fissile material is credited to the German scientist Otto Han. While working with fellow scientist Fritz Straasmann, Otto Han discovered Uranium's fission. Otto Han is also called the father of Nuclear Chemistry and received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1944.
However, the term' nuclear fission' was coined by a German female Physicist, Liese Meitner.
Later, India conducted another nuclear test on May 11 1998, in Pokhran, codenamed Project Shakti. India officially acknowledged that it had conducted a nuclear weapon test. Every year, May 11 is observed as National Technology Day in India.
Thus, at present, 8 countries have confirmed nuclear weapons.
Concerned about the world's nuclear arms race and the devastation it can cause, there was a growing demand to do something to stop it.
A two-pronged approach was adopted to deal with the situation. The first step was to limit and ultimately ban the testing of the nuclear bomb. Second was to try and stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
The first concrete step in limiting the testing of nuclear weapons was the signing of the 'Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water, also known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963'. However, it allowed underground testing of nuclear weapons.
To completely ban nuclear weapons testing, a Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) was signed, which came into force in 1996. CTBT bans all nuclear explosions, whether for military or peaceful purposes. At present, 187 countries have signed the CTBT. India, Pakistan, and North Korea are three countries with nuclear weapon capability but have not signed CTBT.
To limit the countries that can legally possess nuclear weapons, an International agreement named the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty(NPT) was signed in 1968. It came into force in 1970.
The NPT recognises five nuclear weapon countries: Russia, France, China, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. These countries can legally keep nuclear weapons. If any other apart from these five keeps nuclear weapons, it will be considered illegal.
The NPT was initially for 25 years, which was extended indefinitely in 1995.
India has not signed the NPT as it considers China a security threat, and to counter China, it needs nuclear weapons. Under NPT, India is not recognised as a nuclear weapon state and cannot keep nuclear weapons.
India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel have not signed the NPT.