NTI Nuclear Security Index: A Model for State-Level Approaches to Nonproliferation and Arms Control

Abstract

The NTI Nuclear Security Index (NTI Index) is a first-of-its-kind public assessment of nuclear security conditions on a country-by-country basis in 176 countries. Initially launched in 2012 (a fifth edition is planned for release in June 2020), the NTI Index helps spark international discussions about priorities required to strengthen security and most important, encourages governments to provide assurances and take actions to reduce risks. Developed with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and with input from a respected international panel of nuclear security experts, the NTI Index draws on NTI’s nuclear expertise and the EIU’s experience in constructing indices, and the reach of the EIU’s global network analysts and contributors. This chapter examines whether the NTI Index methodology could apply to the state-level concept (SLC) in the nonproliferation and arms control verification context, including a discussion of the benefits and constraints of developing an index tool for assessing a country’s compliance with nonproliferation and arms control commitments. For further details on the NTI Index, please see the NTI Index website: www.ntiindex.org.