20 October,2026 12:15 PM IST | New York | mid-day online correspondent
Congress MP Manish Tewari. Pic/X
India has reiterated its willingness to formalise its commitment not to use nuclear weapons first and not to use them against non-nuclear-weapon states through a multilateral legal agreement, as it called for progress on global nuclear disarmament and measures to reduce nuclear risks.
Congress MP Manish Tewari, representing India at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) First Committee in New York, outlined the country's position on nuclear weapons and related issues on Monday.
"India remains committed to nuclear disarmament that is universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable. This goal can be achieved by a step-by-step process underwritten by universal commitment to an agreed non-discriminatory multilateral framework," Tewari said.
Tewari said India had presented its approach in a 2006 working paper to the First Committee and again in 2007 at the Conference on Disarmament through document CD/1816.
"The relevance of this approach endures," he said.
Describing India's nuclear doctrine, Tewari said the country maintained a policy of credible minimum deterrence, with a no-first-use posture and a commitment not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states.
"We are prepared to convert these undertakings into multilateral legal arrangements," he said.
"I wish to underline that India's capabilities are shaped by our unique security environment and are not directed against any specific actor. India also remains committed to its voluntary unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing," he added.
Tewari said legally binding assurances against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons could help reduce the insecurity experienced by non-nuclear-weapon states and strengthen the global non-proliferation framework.
"India believes that legally binding assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons should alleviate their sense of insecurity and thereby strengthen the non-proliferation regime. This would contribute to reducing the nuclear danger," he said.
India and China are the two nuclear-armed countries widely recognised as maintaining declared no-first-use policies, although the scope and conditions of their respective commitments differ.
Addressing emerging technological challenges, Tewari highlighted concerns over the use of artificial intelligence in nuclear command-and-control systems. He said India supported the principle that decisions to use nuclear weapons should remain in human hands.
He also referred to India's resolution on reducing nuclear danger, which it has tabled at the United Nations since 1998. The initiative draws attention to the risks associated with keeping nuclear weapons on high-alert status and calls for measures such as de-alerting and de-targeting to reduce the possibility of accidental or unintended use.
Tewari highlighted India's longstanding proposal for an international convention prohibiting the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. Introduced in 1992, the initiative calls on the Conference on Disarmament to begin negotiations on a legally binding international instrument.
"Such a universal legally binding agreement will build the political will needed for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. We look forward to the continued support and co-sponsorship of member states for both resolutions. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons does not create obligations for India. Our commitment to global nuclear disarmament nonetheless remains unchanged, as does our commitment to strengthening non-proliferation," he said.
India also reiterated its commitment to international cooperation to prevent nuclear materials and technologies from reaching terrorists and other non-state actors.
Tewari, who represents Chandigarh in the Lok Sabha, is part of the second group of MPs joining India's delegation to the United Nations.
(With inputs from IANS)
