New Delhi calls for global nuclear disarmament

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United Nations, Oct 10: Calling for complete nuclear disarmament within time-bound framework and establishment of non-discriminatory control regimes, India has demanded that nuclear weapons states immediately de-alert and de-target such arms, enter into legally binding commitment on no-first use atomic weapons against non-nuclear weapons states.

“As long as nuclear weapons exist, the threat of use of nuclear weapons, accidental or inadvertent, will remain. Only global and complete disarmament, within time-bound framework, can totally eliminate the danger of a nuclear war,” Indian delegate, Anand Sharma, MP, told a United Nations committee.

Maintaining that growing danger of terrorists acquiring WMD, related materials and technologies has added a new and more menacing dimension to the traditional danger of a nuclear war, he said the new challenges can be effectively dealt only through non-discriminatory regimes.

“It has been evident that the current nuclear non-proliferation regime is facing major challenges. We need to create a more inclusive and non-discriminatory structure to effectively address the current proliferation concerns,” he told the delegates.

The international community, Mr Sharma said, had demonstrated its will to control this danger by adopting in the last session an India-sponsored resolution on measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

New Delhi plans to move a similar resolution again this year in the Assembly to reaffirm the commitment to combat this menace, he said.

“We believe states have the responsibility for taking measures to prevent proliferation of WMD and related materials and technology to both non-state actors and other states,” he said detailing steps India has taken in this direction.

But the focus on pursuing the goals of non-proliferation regime without progress towards global and complete disarmament may be “detrimental and counterproductive,” he said.