Statement by Mr. D.B. Venkatesh Varma, Ambassador and Permanent
Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament
Informal Discussions of the Conference on Disarmament on Prevention of an
Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS)

Mr. Coordinator,

It is a pleasure to be participating in these informal structured discussions on PAROS under your able coordinator ship. India associates itself with the statement made by Indonesia on behalf of the G21.

Mr. Coordinator,

2.   Over the past five decades India has emerged as a major space faring nation. India’s space programme has developmental and security dimensions. We have a well-established and highly successful and cost effective space launch vehicle programme and international cooperation with a large number of countries both developed and developing.  We have sent a space craft to the Moon; another space craft has been sent to Mars.

3.   India believes that Outer Space should not become an arena of conflict, but a new and expanding frontier of cooperative activity. This places a responsibility on all space-faring nations to contribute to international efforts to safeguard outer space as the common heritage of humankind and preserve and promote the benefits flowing from advances made in space technology and its applications for all. We are against the weaponization of Outer Space and support international efforts to reinforce safety and security of space based assets.

4.   India is party to all the major international treaties relating to Outer Space. We believe that this international legal framework needs to be strengthened to enhance the security of space assets for all space users and to prevent the weaponization of Outer Space. Thus, India supports the substantive consideration of the item on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space in the CD, including negotiations in a subsidiary body as part of a Programme of Work as called for by UNGA resolution 69/31, which India has traditionally cosponsored.  

5.   While universal and nondiscriminatory transparency and confidence-building measures can play a useful complementary role, they cannot substitute for legally binding instruments in this field. India participated actively in the consultations called by the EU since 2012 to discuss a draft Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities. The value of the Code would depend on whether it is able to garner universal adherence and whether it is without prejudice to international efforts in established multilateral forums for the progressive development and codification of international law relating to outer space activities. We have consistently underlined that it is only by ensuring the right process and the right participation that we can ensure the right product of universal acceptance.

6.  At the New York meeting in late July this year, India joined other BRICS partners in stating that the Code of Conduct should be of a voluntary, non-legally binding nature. It should be non-discriminatory and internationally acceptable. The Code should be negotiated on the basis of consensus within the framework of the United Nations in an inclusive and transparent manner. Its objective should be to enhance space security for all space users based on transparency and confidence building measures.

7.   India is prepared to give consideration to the revised PPWT presented by Russia and China in CD 1985 as a contribution to the various proposals for negotiating a legally binding instrument in the CD and have taken note of some clarifications provided by the Russian and Chinese delegations on certain questions raised by delegations, including in CD 1998 with respect to gaps that still persist in the revised draft. There would be value in further in depth examine of these questions.

 8.   Though India supported resolution 69/38 on TCBMs, it is unfortunate that a major space faring country like India was not included in the GGE on TCBMs. In our view a more representative GGE could have enhanced the content of the report. India also supported UNGA resolution 69/32 on No First Placement of Weapons on Outer Space, We see the NFP of weapons in outer space as only an interim step and not a substitute for concluding substantive legal measures to ensure the prevention of an arms race in outer space, which should continue to be a priority for the international community.

9.   India supports the substantive consideration of the issue of PAROS in the CD where it has been on the agenda since 1982, including inter alia negotiations in a subsidiary body as part of a Programme of Work. In our discussions we need to focus on what the CD could usefully do in addressing the multiple threats relating to Outer Space, keeping in mind the objective of strengthening the international legal regime on Outer Space activities.   It is important that member States be given the incentive to protect their interests by investing in legally binding multilateral instruments rather than by resorting to national measures or interim and partial steps that do not fully address the concerns of all space actors.

Thank you.