As per the report of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), titled ‘Complicit: 2020 Global Nuclear Spending’, the worldwide Nuclear-armed countries’ overall spending on atomic weapon arsenals in 2020 was increased by $1.4 billion (1.2-billion-euro) to $72.6 billion from $71.2 billion of 2019.
- The 9 Nuclear-armed countries include – The United States(US), China, Russia, The United Kingdom(UK), France, India, Israel, Pakistan, and North Korea.
Key Facts of the Report:
i.The report described how the world’s 9 nuclear-armed states continued to increase their spending on nuclear weapons.
ii.While considering jointly, the nuclear-armed states viz, UK, France, India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea, spent more than $137,000 every minute in 2020.
iii.Country-wise Spending On Nuclear Weapons in 2020
| S.no | Country | Spending in 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | India | $2.4 billion, ($4,567 / minute) |
| 1 | US | $37.4 billion, ($70,881 / minute) |
| 2 | China | $10.1 billion, ($19,149 / minute) |
| 3 | Russia | $8 billion, ($15,222 / minute) |
Nuclear weapons spending to contractors in 2020:
i.The report disclosed the 9 countries’ spending on nuclear weapons to defence contractors to lobbyists and think tanks.
ii.In 2020, out of the total spending, $27.7 billion went to eleven companies for new or modified nuclear-weapons-related contracts. Those contractors then spent $117 million for ‘lobbying policy makers’ and up to $10 million funding to think tanks that write about nuclear weapons.
iv.The top companies profiting from such contracts were Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies and Draper.
Note – The 1st ever International agreement which prohibits Nuclear Weapons, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) reached 52 states ratification in 2020, and came into force in January 2021. Click here to know more
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About International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN):
ICAN is a coalition of non-governmental organizations promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty for eliminating nuclear weapons. It won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.
Establishment – 2007
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Executive Director – Beatrice Fihn
