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Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS)
Context:
BRICS ministers, during their meeting in Russia, reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and preventing an arms race in outer space (PAROS) and it is weaponization.
More on News:
- They reaffirmed commitment to strengthen BRICS Strategic Partnership across politics and security, economy, finance, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
- They emphasised the importance of PAROS provisions in the Outer Space Treaty (OST) and the need for discussing a legal multilateral instrument on PAROS.
- They acknowledged the 2014 submission of an updated draft treaty on Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space to Conference on Disarmament
- They emphasised potential contribution of practical, non-binding Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures (TCBMs) to PAROS.
What is Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space PAROS?
- It is a proposed treaty that aims to prevent the deployment of weapons in space and ensure the peaceful use of outer space.
- The concept of preventing an arms race in outer space originated in the 1950s at the United Nations.
- OST, 1967 prohibits placing nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction in space or on celestial bodies.
- It emphasises the peaceful use of outer space.
- Support from BRICS leaders: BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) reiterated their support for PAROS.
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- They emphasise long-term sustainability of outer space activities.
- They reaffirmed their commitment to prevent an arms race in space.
- Challenges include:
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- Defining space weapons remains contentious.
- Uncertainty over the boundary of outer space.
- Verification of compliance poses significant challenges.
- Current efforts
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- In 2020, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on reducing space threats through norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviour.
- The United States (US) stressed the importance of upholding OST obligations and urged UN Member States to ratify the treaty.
- The US proposed a UN Security Council resolution on upholding OST obligations.
Conclusion:
- The PAROS treaty is a critical international effort to maintain peaceful use of outer space amidst concerns of militarization.
- It seeks to extend OST’s provisions by prohibiting placement of weapons in space and the threat or use of force against space objects.
- It promotes global security and cooperation in space exploration.