Armscontrol

Arms control refers to international political and legal efforts to regulate, limit, or reduce weapons and their delivery systems. Its aim is to prevent destabilizing arms races, lower the risk of war, and improve security through transparency and predictability. Arms control encompasses nonproliferation, disarmament, and confidence-building measures, and it covers nuclear, chemical, biological, and conventional weapons as well as missiles and related technologies. It operates through treaties, regional agreements, export controls, verification mechanisms, and diplomacy.

Key instruments include a mix of legally binding treaties and voluntary regimes. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a cornerstone of nonproliferation and aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans nuclear tests and establishes monitoring infrastructure, though it has not entered into force universally. The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) prohibit chemical and biological weapons, with verification conducted by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and domestic reporting and inspections under relevant regimes. START and historic agreements between major powers sought to limit and reduce strategic arsenals, while the INF Treaty, now defunct, targeted intermediate-range missiles. Verification commonly relies on declarations, inspections, and monitoring by specialized agencies such as the IAEA for nuclear activities and export-control regimes like the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

Challenges include ensuring universal participation, enforcing compliance, and addressing evolving technologies and strategic priorities. Modern arms control must contend with modernization of arsenals, regional tensions, and gaps in verification. Overall, it seeks to reduce incentives for arms racing and provide a framework for managing risk in a changing security environment.