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India cautions against
use of atomic arms: PTI

India has asked nuclear weapon states to take "immediate and urgent" steps to reduce the risk of the "unintentional and accidental" use of atomic arms.

There is no justification for thousands of nuclear weapons being maintained at 'hair-trigger alert', creating 'unacceptable' risks, Indian Ambassador to the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament, Rakesh Sood, said.

Introducing a resolution on 'Reducing Nuclear Danger' in the Disarmament and International Security Committee of the Untied Nations General Assembly on Thursday, he warned that keeping such weapons on hair-trigger alert could have "catastrophic consequences" for humankind.

Acknowledging that there were technical complexities in implementing the resolution, a ground on which nuclear weapon states and their allies oppose it, Sood said, "We believe that these can be overcome through the necessary political will."

"It is accepted that the elimination of nuclear weapons under a non-discriminatory and multilaterally verifiable treaty requires complex negotiations. However, this is no justification for thousands of nuclear weapons to be maintained in a state of hair-trigger alert," he told the committee.

It is imperative, he said, that "even as we work in developing requisite political will, in the interim, the international community accepts the need for urgent practical steps that will diminish nuclear dangers."

It is a fact that there have been several instances of near accidental launches, often triggered by incomplete or inaccurate assessment of available information, Sood stressed.

These events demonstrate the error-prone character of maintaining large arsenals in a state of high alert, he said, seeking support for the resolution.

India had moved a similar resolution last year, which received overwhelming support from member states. This year's resolution is co-sponsored by Bhutan, Costa Rica, Fiji, Kenya, Mauritius, Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

It calls on nuclear weapons states to review nuclear doctrines and take immediate and urgent steps to reduce the risks of unintentional and accidental use of nuclear weapons. It also calls on member states to take necessary measures to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons in all aspects and promote nuclear disarmament with the ultimate objective of eliminating nuclear weapons.

The resolution urges the UN secretary general to seek inputs from the advisory board on disarmament matters regarding specific measures that would significantly reduce the risk of a nuclear war.

The resolution will be discussed by the committee, which is expected to recommend it to the General Assembly for adoption. All member states are represented on the committee.

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