Statement by Ambassador D.B. Venkatesh Varma,
Permanent Representative of India to the CD, 

Informal Discussions on Agenda Items 1 and 2

Special focus on the ban on the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices

Mr. Chairman,

It is a pleasure to convey our congratulations and our appreciation for your willingness to coordinate structured discussions on this important subject, as you did last year. We thank you for your letter of 17 June in which you listed some useful points around which we could structure our discussions. While we will be speaking on specific points in greater detail, we would like to make some opening remarks to set out India’s position on FMCT.  

2.  India supports the early commencement of substantive work in the CD on the basis of a Programme of Work.  Without prejudice to the priority India attaches to nuclear disarmament, we support the negotiation in the CD of a universal, non-discriminatory and internationally verifiable FMCT that meets India’s national security interests. India is a nuclear weapon state and a responsible member of the international community and will approach FMCT negotiations as such.

3.  India was one of the original co-sponsors of the UNGA resolution 48/75L adopted by consensus in 1993 which envisaged FMCT as a significant contribution to non-proliferation in all its aspects. We joined consensus on the establishment of an Ad hoc Committee on an FMCT in the CD in 1995 and then again in 1998. Similarly, India did not stand in the way of consensus on CD/1864 which provided inter alia for establishment of a Working Group to negotiate an FMCT and was prepared to go along even with the proposal made by Mexico as CD President in CD 2014 in February this year.  It is unfortunate that this Conference has been prevented once again from commencing substantive work.

4.  UNGA Resolution 48/75 L reflected with clarity the common understanding of the basic objective of the treaty. The mandate for the proposed treaty was explicitly reflected in this resolution and reconfirmed by the Shannon Report in CD/1299 i.e. to “negotiate a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices”. This mandate was also reaffirmed by the CD in 1998 and 2009 in its consensus decisions and reiterated in resolutions on FMCT in the UNGA. We do not favour reopening this mandate which offers the best prospects for commencement of FMCT negotiations in the CD.   

5.  India participated in the GGE on FMCT established pursuant to the UNGA resolution 67/53. We welcome the consensus GGE Report which has now been circulated as CD 2023. At the time of the adoption of the resolution 67/53 in 2012 which established the GGE, we stated that the work of the GGE amounted to neither pre-negotiations nor negotiations on an FMCT, which should take place in the CD on the basis of the agreed mandate. The GGE Report is not and was not meant to be the last word on the subject but this should not detract from its immense value in bringing together, under the able chair of Ambassador Golberg of Canada, Governmental experts from 25 countries who brought to bear varied but enriching perspectives on various aspects of a future treaty thus deepening our understanding of its many complexities, which only a serious, non-polemical and interactive discussion can bring forth.  The GGE Report underlines the Treaty and its negotiation in the CD remains a priority enjoying broad international support and CD 1299 and the mandate contained therein remains the most suitable basis on which future negotiations should commence. In our view, this was the most significant conclusion of the GGE. The Report is a valuable reference even though it does not bind the hands of future negotiators and is without prejudice to national positions.  The Report is the result of a most thorough inter-governmental assessment of FMCT in recent years, and as such deserves in-depth consideration and examination. We join others in commending this Report to members of the Conference not represented on the GGE and look forward to a productive discussion and hope that it will impart momentum for the commencement of FMCT negotiations in this Conference.

6.  India’s support for FMCT negotiations in the CD is consistent with our interest in strengthening the global non-proliferation regime that would add a measure of strategic predictability and a baseline for future global nuclear disarmament efforts. Given this objective and given the CD’s vocation, it is essential that all relevant countries participate in these negotiations in the CD and contribute to its successful outcome.   In this regard, we have noted that France has submitted a draft Treaty text and look ward to hearing views, from France and others in the Conference.

7.  To conclude, India supports the CD as the world’s single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum and we hope that its member states will redouble efforts to enable the Conference to commence substantive work at an early date. This Conference should be allowed to fulfil its mandate as a negotiating forum by commencing FMCT negotiations on the basis of an early decision on its Programme of Work.