Russia Does not want to Recognize India, Pakistan as 'Nuclear States'

Recognising India, Pakistan and Israel as nuclear states will be "catastrophic" to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that aims at achieving nuclear disarmament, a top Russian official has said.

"The world is developing swiftly, technologies, including those in the nuclear field, are becoming available to more states. The fact that India, Pakistan, and Israel possess nuclear weapons doesn't help strengthen the NPT. There is no way of discussing the possibility of Indian and Pakistan joining the treaty as nuclear states. Such recognition would be catastrophic for the treaty itself," Vladimir Yermakov, Director of the Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control was quoted as saying by Russian media on Wednesday.

The NPT's objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.

While experiencing years of tense relations, both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons without being parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, the two nations signed an agreement in 1988 that requires them to inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the deal annually.