India reiterates commitment against nuclear weapons at UN

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said that "India is committed to the universal goal of non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament leading to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons" on The International Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

Speaking at the 76th United Nations General Assembly, Shringla said, "India is committed to the universal goal of non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament leading to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. Consistent with the highest priority accorded to nuclear disarmament by the Final Document of the First Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Disarmament (SSOD-1)."

Welcoming the convening of the high-level plenary meeting to commemorate The International Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, he said, "It provides a valuable opportunity for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament. And to enhance public awareness about the objectives of the total elimination of nuclear weapons."

"India believes 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," added the Foreign Secretary.

He further reiterated India's commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. "India, as a responsible nuclear weapon State, has a nuclear doctrine outlining credible minimum deterrence with the posture of no-first-use and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon States," he said.

He also said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had indicated India's openness to new ideas as manifest in an ancient text Rig Veda, "which says that let noble thoughts come to us from all sites".

"India will engage with all member states towards realising a nuclear-weapon-free world," he added.

Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 28, has called for redoubling efforts to ensure meaningful progress in global nuclear disarmament.

Addressing the UNGA high-level event to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Shahid said that on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) this year, there is a pressing urgency to make this treaty an effective legal framework.

(ANI)