India Backs Calls For Urgent Talks On Nuclear Disarmament Treaty

India on Friday called for a "meaningful dialogue" among all nuclear armed countries for "building trust and confidence", and supported the "immediate commencement" of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT).

FMCT has been proposed to prohibit the further production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices.

The remarks were made by Foreign Secretary, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, at the high-level meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

India said it believes nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework.

India accords high priority to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) as the world's single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum and supports the commencement of negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention at the CD, Mr Shringla said.

"Without prejudice to the priority attached to nuclear disarmament, India remains committed to the immediate commencement of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty in the CD on the basis of CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein," Mr Shringla said during the meeting.

The Foreign Secretary said India reiterates its long-standing and unwavering commitment to universal, verifiable, and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament leading to the "complete elimination of nuclear weapons, in line with the Final Document of the First Special Session of the UN General Assembly on disarmament (SSOD-1)".

"We believe that nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework. India remains convinced of the need for meaningful dialogue among all states possessing nuclear weapons, for building trust and confidence," Mr Shringla said.