India seeks total elimination of nuclear weapons

UNITED NATIONS: Warning against the possibility of terrorists and non-state actors acquiring atomic weapons, India has sought total elimination of nuclear arms backed by a security system in which states do not feel the need to develop, produce or stockpile them.

"India has remained steadfast to the goal of a nuclear weapon-free world, to be achieved through global, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament," its delegate Sushma Swaraj told a UN committee, adding that New Delhi's responsible nuclear doctrine is based on no first use and non-use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons States.

Urging all nations to work together to achieve the goal of nuclear weapon-free-world, Swaraj, a member of Parliament, told the UN General Assembly's Disarmament and International Security Committee that atomic weapons stockpiles, both strategic and non-strategic, are too large and mostly on hair-trigger readiness.

"The threat of a nuclear war remains real," she said.

While the international consensus to ban nuclear weapons develops, Swaraj said India proposes to table again the resolution on reducing nuclear dangers, which offers modest and practical proposals, calling for a review of nuclear doctrine and urgent steps to reduce the risk of unintentional and accidental use of such weapons through de-alerting and de-targeting them.