'India committed to no-first-use policy under nuclear doctrine': Shringla
Shringla said India also looks forward to the early start of negotiations on a legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space.
India is committed to maintaining a credible minimum deterrence under its nuclear doctrine with a posture of no-first-use, foreign secretary Harsh Shringla said on Monday while addressing a conference on nuclear disarmament.
The country also looks forward to the early start of negotiations on a legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, Shringla said in his address to the high-level segment of the Conference on Disarmament organised under the presidency of Brazil.
The Conference on Disarmament was formed in 1979 as the world community’s single multilateral disarmament negotiation forum.
“India, as a responsible nuclear weapon state, 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,” Shringla said.
Describing the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) as a long-standing item on the Conference on Disarmament’s agenda, he said, “India looks forward to an early start of negotiations of a legally binding instrument on PAROS to address pressing issues relating to space security.”
Reaffirming India’s readiness to participate in negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) at the Conference on Disarmament, Shringla said, “India has supported the immediate commencement of negotiations in the CD on a FMCT on the basis of CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein, which remains the most suitable basis for negotiations.”
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CD/1299 was established in March 1995 as an ad-hoc committee for talks on a “ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices”.
Shringla said India backs a comprehensive and balanced programme of work to enable the Conference on Disarmament to begin negotiations on issues of pressing importance. India is also committed to universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament and outlined a step-by-step process for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons through its working paper submitted in 2007, he added.
“India has welcomed the extension of the New START Treaty between the Russian Federation and the US. However, much work needs to be done by us in the Conference on Disarmament,” he said.
“We need to rise above our differences, and demonstrate political will and genuine intent to find consensus to deliver on our collective mandate. Those resorting to politicisation only weaken the mandate of this body,” he added.
