Explained: What is PAROS, which has got support from Brics leaders?

The Brics ministers reiterated their support for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) and its weaponisation

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

Brics ministers, during their meeting in Russia on Monday (June 10), reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and preventing an arms race in outer space (PAROS) and its weaponisation.

The ministers reiterated their support for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) and its weaponisation. Emphasising the significance of PAROS-related provisions in the Outer Space Treaty (OST), they highlighted the necessity of discussing a legal multilateral instrument on PAROS.

The ministers acknowledged the submission of the updated draft treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects (PPWT) to the Conference on Disarmament in 2014. They also stressed that practical, non-binding, and voluntary commitments such as Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures (TCBMs) could contribute to PAROS.

The proposed Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) treaty aims to prevent the deployment of weapons in space and ensure the peaceful use of outer space. It addresses concerns about the potential militarization and weaponisation of space, which could lead to an arms race and destabilise global security.

What is Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS)?

The concept of preventing an arms race in outer space originated in the 1950s when the United Nations (UN) first considered proposals to prohibit the use of space for military purposes and the placement of weapons of mass destruction in space. The Outer Space Treaty, which came into force in 1967, prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in space and their stationing on celestial bodies.

However, the treaty does not explicitly ban other types of weapons in space, prompting ongoing discussions and proposals for a more comprehensive treaty. In 2008, Russia and China presented a draft treaty to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) aimed at preventing the placement of weapons in outer space and banning the use of anti-satellite weapons. This draft was revised in 2014 but has not been adopted.

What are the challenges to the outer space weaponisation treaty?

Last month, Russia last week reportedly launched its Cosmos 2576 ‘inspector’ satellite in the path of an American spy satellite, with the US intelligence assessment being that the Russian spacecraft is a weapon capable of inspecting and attacking other satellites. 

The launch of the alleged Russian space weapon was announced by the US Space Command.

The report said that a Russian Soyuz rocket, which took off on May 16, deployed at least nine satellites, including the Cosmos 2576, in low-Earth orbit. The Cosmos 2576 is described as a type of a Russian military ‘inspector’ spacecraft, which US officials have said have exhibited reckless space behaviour in the past. 

Therefore, the proposed PAROS treaty would extend the Outer Space Treaty by prohibiting any nation from placing objects carrying weapons in Earth's orbit or on celestial bodies. It would also ban the threat or use of force against objects in outer space.

A significant challenge in negotiating the treaty is defining what constitutes a weapon in space. The United States argues that the inability to clearly define space weapons is a primary barrier to such a treaty. Additionally, debates continue over where outer space begins, what types of weapons should be prohibited, and whether the treaty would be verifiable.

Current efforts

In 2020, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on reducing space threats through norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviour. The resolution sought ideas from Member States on developing and implementing these norms, rules, and principles, and on reducing the risks of misunderstanding and miscalculation regarding outer space.

The United States has also emphasised the importance of upholding existing international obligations under the Outer Space Treaty and has called on all UN Member States to ratify or accede to the treaty. Additionally, the US proposed a UN Security Council resolution reaffirming the obligation of States Parties to the Outer Space Treaty and urging all UN member states not to develop nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction intended for space deployment.