During a high-level segment conference on Disarmament under the Presidency of Brazil on Monday, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shiringla said that India is committed to the goal of universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament, and it has reiterated its position of no first use of nuclear weapons
Shiringla also said that the country is committed as per its nuclear doctrine to maintain credible minimum deterrence with the posture of no-first-use and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon states.
“Our call for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons through a step-by-step process, as also outlined in our Working Paper on Nuclear Disarmament submitted to the Conference of Disarmament in 2007 (CD) has enduring relevance,” he said.
“India reiterates its call to undertake the steps outlined in the Working Paper, including negotiation in the CD of a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention,” he added.
New Delhi has also expressed support for negotiations of the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT).
“India has supported the immediate commencement of negotiations in the CD on a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) on the basis of CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein, which remains the most suitable basis for negotiations. I reaffirm today, India’s readiness to participate in FMCT negotiations in the CD,” Shringla said.
India also underlined the issue of the arms race in outer space in the conference and urged members to start negotiations on the legally binding instrument, the foreign secretary said.
“Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS), is another long-standing item on the CD’s agenda. India looks forward to an early start of negotiations of a legally binding instrument on PAROS to address pressing issues relating to space security.”
A fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT) is a proposed international pact that would stop the production of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) and plutonium.
Advertisement
Author
