Why Is This Important To Know About Open Skies Treaty ( OST ) ? : Lets Read The Article

What is Open Skies Treaty?

The open-sky treaty is an agreement between 34 member states, allowing participants to fly unarmed reconnaissance flights to their fellow member states.

Under this treaty, any member state can 'spy' via air on any part of the other member state with its consent.  A country can perform aerial imaging on the host state after giving notice 72 hours in advance, and share its exact flight path 24 hours in advance.

The purpose of this treaty was to create trust through mutual openness among members.

History of this open sky treaty (OST) :-

In 1955, US President Dwight Eisenhower first proposed the idea as a means of reducing tensions during the Cold War.

 

In 1992, after the demise of the Soviet Union, the Open Skies Treaty was signed between NATO countries and former Warsaw Pact countries.

In 2002, The Open Skies Treaty came into effect.

Why is the Open Skies Treaty in the news?: -

The USA has stated that it will accuse Russia of withdrawing from the open-sky treaty and will continue to follow Russia's OST protocol and disrupt surveillance flights over its territories.  Russia is also accused of misusing it to gather important strategic data.

Why does America want to withdraw from the open sky treaty? :-

Now advanced satellites' imaging technologies are now the primary method of gathering intelligence and the US is well ahead with its extensive military satellite infrastructure.

Last year, the US withdrew its participation from the intermediate-range nuclear force Treaty.  In addition, the US has done away with the Iran nuclear deal, and the Paris agreement.

Having said that, reconnaissance missions have their own importance, since 2002 we have launched 201 missions to Russia and Belarus.  But now the United States wants to get out of this treaty, being ahead in satellite treaty.

Furthermore, the US finds China as a new threat and does not want to limit itself while China has all the freedom from such borders.  Such free tickets to China can be dangerous for US national security as well as world peace.  This argument holds firm grounds as the US-Russia nuclear weapons control agreement, 'New Start' will expire in 2021 and the US has already clarified that it will not renew the treaty unless China with Russia in it  Does not get involved.

Point of  view of India: -

India is a strategic ally of the US and is not a part of this open skies treaty, there is no reason for danger on this matter.  For India, it is not a tough choice between a strong USA versus a strong China.

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