India committed to goal of nuclear weapons free world: India at UNSC

India is committed to the goal of nuclear weapons-free world and complete elimination of nuclear weapons, said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on September 27, 2021 during the United Nations Security Council meeting. 

The Foreign Secretary said, "We believe that this goal can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed global and non-discriminatory multilateral framework."

We believe that this goal can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed global and non-discriminatory multilateral framework: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla in a UNSC meeting (2/2) pic.twitter.com/7yU0NeFsfz

— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2021

While India had participated in the negotiations of the draft CTBT in the Conference on Disarmament, India could not join the Treaty as the Treaty did not address a number of core concerns raised by India. India, however, maintains a voluntary, unilateral moratorium on nuclear explosive testing and has actively supported and contributed to the strengthening of global nuclear security architecture, informed Shringla. 

India maintains a voluntary, unilateral moratorium on nuclear explosive testing...India has actively supported & contributed to strengthening of global nuclear security architecture...India is a key partner in global non-proliferation efforts: Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla pic.twitter.com/u1Rfsfrdj2

— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2021

The Indian Foreign Secretary was addressing the United Nations Security Council meeting on 'Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)',  held under the Irish Presidency.

Key Highlights 

•The Foreign Secretary highlighted that India has been a key partner in the strengthening of the global nuclear security architecture.

•In fact, India was the first country to call for a ban on nuclear testing in 1954 and a non-discriminatory non-proliferation of nuclear weapons treaty in 1965.

•India has also participated in the Nuclear Security Summit and has been regular in the International Conferences on Nuclear Security organized by the IAEA. 

•India is also a member of the Nuclear Security Contact Group. India had also piloted the annual UN General Assembly Resolution on 'Measures to Prevent Terrorists from Acquiring Weapons of Mass Destruction' since 2002, which is adopted by consensus.

•Foreign Secretary Shringla highlighted that there is a need for the international community to pay closer attention to the illicit proliferation of networks of nuclear weapons, their delivery systems, components and relevant technologies.

•Shringla also informed that India would continue to work in the framework of the Disarmament Triad comprising the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, UN Disarmament Commission and Conference on Disarmament to strengthen the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation architecture.

•He further said that the Conference on Disarmament, the world's sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, is well placed to take forward the global disarmament agenda and negotiate legally binding instruments on items on its core agenda.

Background

India is an active part of various export control regimes including Wassenaar Arrangement, Australia Group and Missile Technology Control Regime with the objective of strengthening the non-proliferation architecture. 

India's Foreign Secretary highlighted that India hopes that the international community will continue to work towards realizing the collective aspiration for a nuclear weapons-free world.