Why India stayed outside the NPT — and how it has still built a case for global nuclear legitimacy.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), 1968 divides the world into recognised "Nuclear Weapon States" (those that tested before 1967 — US, Russia, UK, France, China) and all others, who must remain non-nuclear. India has never signed the NPT, calling it discriminatory, since it permanently freezes the five recognised powers' nuclear status while barring all others.
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), 1996 bans all nuclear test explosions. India has also not signed the CTBT, partly because it does not treat the five NPT-recognised powers' existing arsenals as equally subject to disarmament obligations.
India adopted a doctrine of "No First Use" (NFU) and "credible minimum deterrence" following its 1998 Pokhran-II tests, meaning India commits to using nuclear weapons only in retaliation to a nuclear attack. India also maintains a policy of non-use against non-nuclear weapon states.
India has sought membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a 48-nation body controlling nuclear trade, to gain fuller access to nuclear technology and fuel — but its bid has repeatedly stalled, principally due to China's objection, which links India's membership to Pakistan's parallel admission and India's non-NPT status.
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