2014 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION OF UNITED NATIONS DISARMAMENT COMMISSION
 

NEW YORK APRIL, 07, 2014

Mr. Chairman,
 

India would like to join other delegations in felicitating you on your election as Chairman of this year\'s UNDC meetings. We would also like to congratulate other members of the bureau on their elections. You can be assured of the full support of my delegation in the discharge of your responsibilities.

India associates itself with the statement made by Indonesia on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Mr. Chairman,
 

India attaches high importance to the UNDC as the specialized deliberative leg of the triad of disarmament machinery put in place by the First Special Session of General Assembly on Disarmament. As the only body with universal membership for in-depth deliberations on relevant disarmament issues, the Commission plays a unique role.

We share the disappointment at the UNDC not being able to adopt substantive recommendations for more than a decade. However we continue to believe in the inherent value of this forum. It is important to recall that the Commission has had several successes in the past when it was able to adopt principles, guidelines and recommendations on specific disarmament issues. It is up to us Member States to realize the value of UNDC by giving importance to its work and showing greater political commitment on disarmament issues.

Mr. Chairman,
 

At this stage, we would like to share some thoughts on the two issues on our agenda. We will further elaborate our positions in the meetings of the two Working Groups in the coming three weeks. We attach high importance to the agenda item ‘Recommendations for achieving the objective of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons’. 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 adopted by consensus by the international community, also accorded the highest priority to nuclear disarmament.

India attaches the highest priority to global, non-discriminatory verifiable nuclear disarmament, a principle which has strong and consistent domestic support in our country. India is convinced that the goal of nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework that is global and non-discriminatory. 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.

The Prime Minister of India, while inaugurating a Conference on ‘A Nuclear Weapons-Free World: From Conception to Reality’ in New Delhi on April 2, 2014, stressed the need to bring to an end Cold War thinking and said ‘What is needed today is an agreed multilateral framework that can involve all states possessing nuclear weapons. What is needed is to focus on practical measures that reduce nuclear dangers by reducing the salience of nuclear weapons in security doctrines’.

In the current international climate there is greater support for progressive steps for delegitimization of nuclear weapons. Measures to reduce nuclear danger arising from accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons are pertinent in this regard. India\'s resolutions in the First Committee give expression to some of these ideas and have found support from a large number of States. Our Working Paper tabled in the UNDC in April 2007, which was developed in the spirit of the 1988 Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan, also suggested specific measures, including a Global No First Use Agreement and a Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons.
 

We believe that the UNDC must send a strong signal of the international community\'s resolve for achieving the goal of global, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament. Member States should use this forum to intensify dialogue in this regard. We can demonstrate our commitment by adopting consensus recommendations on the objective of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

As regards the second agenda item ‘Practical CBMs in the field of conventional weapons’, India supports practical CBMs initiatives whether unilateral, bilateral, regional or global. We believe that CBMs can build trust and confidence and enhance transparency to minimize misunderstandings and misperceptions thereby promoting a suitable environment of peace and security among States. India has initiated several CBMs with the countries in our neighbourhood.

We believe that the initiation of a confidence building process must be decided upon by States freely and in the exercise of their sovereignty. Confidence building must be a step-by-step process and should evolve at a pace comfortable to all participating states. CBMs in specific regions should fully take into account the political, military and other conditions prevailing in the region. CBMs in a regional context should be adopted on the initiation and with the agreement of the States of the region concerned. In elaborating practical CBMs in the area of conventional weapons, we should take advantage of the guidelines on CBMs endorsed by the UNGA at its 41st session on the recommendation of the UNDC.

We believe that significant amount of work needs to be accomplished on this agenda item in our meetings this year. We also believe that discussions on CBMs in the field of conventional weapons should not become a tool for promoting instruments that do not enjoy universal support.

Mr. Chairman,
 

Being the final year of this cycle of UNDC meetings, this year is crucial for us to be able to adopt substantive recommendations. We hope to have in-depth exchange of views on all aspects related to these agenda items and  are hopeful of good progress in our work.

Thank you.