FISSILE MATERIAL CUT-OFF TREATY (FMCT)

International Relation

INTRODUCTION
The Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) is a proposed international treaty aimed at halting the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. It is an important prelims topic because it is often asked as a “proposed but not concluded” treaty, with questions focusing on its objective, negotiating forum, and India’s position. For beginners, FMCT helps in understanding nuclear arms control beyond testing bans.

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BACKGROUND AND STATUS

• FMCT is a proposed treaty, not yet in force
• Discussions began in the 1990s
• Negotiations are mandated under the Conference on Disarmament (CD)
• No final text has been agreed upon so far

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WHAT IS FISSILE MATERIAL

• Fissile material refers to nuclear material capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction
• Includes:
– Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU)
– Plutonium-239
• Used for making nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors

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OBJECTIVE OF FMCT

• To prohibit future production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices
• To cap the quantitative expansion of nuclear arsenals
• To strengthen global nuclear non-proliferation efforts

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KEY FEATURES OF FMCT

• Focuses only on future production, not past stockpiles
• Does not mandate nuclear disarmament
• Intended to apply to all countries equally
• Verification mechanism is still under discussion

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NEGOTIATING FORUM

• Conference on Disarmament (CD), Geneva
• CD operates on consensus
• Deadlock among major powers has stalled negotiations

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INDIA AND FMCT

• India supports a non-discriminatory FMCT
• India insists that existing fissile material stockpiles must be addressed
• India opposes an FMCT that legitimises unequal nuclear capabilities
• India links FMCT with complete nuclear disarmament

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PRELIMS NOTES AND COMMON CONFUSIONS

• FMCT is not yet a treaty
• FMCT does not ban nuclear weapons
• FMCT does not address existing stockpiles by default
• FMCT is different from CTBT

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CURRENT RELEVANCE

• Continued stalemate in Conference on Disarmament
• Ongoing global discussions on arms control
• FMCT remains a key agenda item in disarmament forums

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CONCLUSION
The Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty represents an important but unfinished step in nuclear arms control. For OPSC prelims, it is a high-yield static topic because of its proposed nature and frequent comparison with other nuclear treaties.

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Subject: International Relation

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