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Statement by India on Nuclear Disarmament Conference on Disarmament, Geneva CD Plenary – 22 May, 2012

Mr. President,

The Indian delegation would like to appreciate your effort in organizing discussions in the CD on the issues on its agenda. We would also wish to recall our plenary statement of 15 May in which we outlined our views on the different priority items on the CD's agenda. Allow me to briefly address the issue of nuclear disarmament, the subject of our discussion today.

India attaches the highest priority to global, non-discriminatory verifiable nuclear disarmament, a principle which has strong and consistent domestic support in our country. In 1988, our then Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi presented to the UN's Third Special Session on Disarmament an action plan for a nuclear weapons free and non-violent world order. This Action Plan set out a vision and a roadmap to attain the goal of nuclear disarmament in a time-bound, universal, non-discriminatory, phased and verifiable manner. We remain committed to the objective of that Plan and the realization of its vision.

The complete elimination of nuclear weapons is a long cherished goal of the international community. The UN General Assembly in its very first resolution, adopted unanimously in 1946, sought the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction. The final document of SSOD-I, the only document on nuclear disarmament adopted by consensus by the international community, also accorded the highest priority to nuclear disarmament.

We believe that nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed global and non-discriminatory multilateral framework. In particular we believe that there is need for a meaningful dialogue among all states possessing nuclear weapons to build trust and confidence and for reducing the salience of nuclear weapons in international affairs and security doctrines.

Progressive steps for the de-legitimisation of nuclear weapons are essential to achieving the goal of their complete elimination. Measures to reduce nuclear dangers arising from accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons, increasing restraints on the use of nuclear weapons and de-alerting of nuclear weapons, are all pertinent in this regard. India's resolutions in the First Committee give expression to a large number of these proposals and have found increasing international support. In our Working Paper CD/1816 submitted to the CD in February 2007, India suggested a number of such measures, including reaffirmation of the unequivocal commitment by all nuclear weapon states to the goal of complete elimination of nuclear weapons and specific legal measures such as a Global No First Use Agreement.

Mr. President,

The countries with the largest arsenals of nuclear weapons bear a special responsibility for progress on nuclear disarmament. In this regard we welcome the ratification of the new START agreement between the US and Russia. Efforts should continue for generating the necessary momentum for achieving the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.

Mr. President,

To conclude, as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum the Conference on Disarmament has a heavy responsibility of advancing the goal of complete elimination of nuclear weapons. The need for progress towards this goal remains as important today as three decades ago when SSOD-I identified nuclear disarmament as the priority disarmament agenda item for the international community. India remains ready to work with others to take forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations in the CD.

Thank you.