Q.10. What is India’s stand on the issues of nuclear proliferation? Explain.

India’s stand on the issue of nuclear proliferation is characterized by a commitment to universal, non-discriminatory, and verifiable nuclear disarmament. Here are the key points of India’s position:

• No First Use (NFU) Policy: India maintains a policy of No First Use against nuclear weapon states and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon states.

• Step-by-Step Disarmament: India advocates for nuclear disarmament through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework.

• Conference on Disarmament (CD): India supports negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention at the CD, which is the world’s single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum.

• Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT): India is committed to negotiations regarding the FMCT in the CD, which aims to prohibit the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.

• Global Efforts: While India has not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), it is a key partner in global efforts towards disarmament and strengthening the non-proliferation order.

India’s approach is to achieve nuclear disarmament in a gradual, step-by-step manner, ensuring that it is comprehensive and includes all states possessing nuclear weapons. This stance reflects a balance between maintaining its own security interests and working towards the goal of a nuclear weapon-free world.