Indian PM pushes for global no-first-use of nukes
April 2, 2014, 9:21 am

A North Korean choir sings during a concert in Pyongyang on Monday April 16, 2012 to commemorate 100 years since the birth of Kim Il Sung [AP]

“If all states possessing nuclear weapons recognise that if this is so (nuclear weapons are only for deterrence) and are prepared to declare it, we can quickly move to the establishment of global no-first use norm,” he said on Wednesday.

According to the counting rules in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), the US has an estimated 5,200 nuclear warheads and 2,700 operationally deployed warheads. New Delhi is likely to have manufactured weapons-grade plutonium for at least 100 warheads.

“In many ways this can open the ways to gradual reduction and finally elimination through a nuclear weapon convention. Such a convention would require necessary verification. It would also require political measures to ensure the stability is maintained at the level as nuclear arsenal approaches zero,” he said.

Singh was speaking at an international seminar on nuclear security on Wednesday.

“More and more voices are speaking out today that the sole purpose of nuclear weapons while they exist should be to deter a nuclear attack,” he said.

Singh said that it was important to reduce the importance of nuclear weapons. However, this cannot be done by a single nation, but requires a multilateral agreement.

“What is important today is an agreed multilateral framework that can involve all states possessing nuclear weapons. What is needed is focus on practical measures that reduce nuclear dangers,” he said.

Singh said that although India supports a nuclear-free world it declared itself a nuclear state owing to the “harsh” security environment.

“As a responsible nuclear weapons state India supports the idea of a nuclear weapon-free world.

“We are the only country that demonstrated its capacity in 1974 but maintained a quarter century of restraint, before a harsh security environment obliged us to (conduct) test in 1998 and declare ourselves nuclear state,” he said.

While spelling out the dangers of the nuclear power and the need to control the use of atomic weapons, Singh also highlighted the benefits of nuclear energy.

“There is no theme more important and politically more challenging in the domain of international security.

The Indian Prime Minister noted that by 2032, India intends to produce 62,000 MW of electricity through nuclear power.

Source: Agencies