India is key partner to strengthen nuclear non-proliferation & disarmament: Shringla at UN

India on Friday told the United Nations that New Delhi is a key partner in global efforts towards disarmament and strengthening the non-proliferation of nuclear weapon order. India espouses the policy of 'no first use' against nuclear weapon states and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon states, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said. He also informed that nuclear disarmament can be achieved through an agreed multilateral framework.

While addressing the virtual high-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the 'International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons', Shringla said, India reiterates its long-standing and unwavering commitment to universal, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament leading to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, in line with the Final Document of the First Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Disarmament (SSOD-1).

He said India's approach to nuclear disarmament is encapsulated in its Working Paper submitted to the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2006 and to the Conference on Disarmament in 2007.

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Nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process

"We believe that nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework. India remains convinced of the need for meaningful dialogue among all States possessing nuclear weapons, for building trust and confidence," Shringla said.

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The foreign secretary further reiterated that India accords 'high priority' to the Conference on Disarmament as the world's single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum and supports the commencement of negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention at the Conference on Disarmament.

Emphasizing that India is a key partner in global efforts towards disarmament and strengthening the non-proliferation order, Shringla expressed hope that the high-level event would bring the further focus of the international community on the need to mobilise global will towards a nuclear-weapons-free world.

Shringla also underlined that mindful of the catastrophic consequences of unintentional or accidental use of nuclear weapons. India has since 1998 tabled an annual resolution in the General Assembly on ‘Reducing Nuclear Danger’ that calls for immediate and urgent steps to reduce the risks of unintentional and accidental use of nuclear weapons, including through de-alerting and de-targeting, he said.

The high-level event was held on the International Day of Non-violence, which is observed on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday on October 2. 

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(With inputs from PTI) (Image PTI)