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United Nations, June 20 (IANS) – India has urged for global denunciation of nations supplying arms to terrorists, highlighting the increasing sophistication of small arms and the use of drones to deliver them. R. Ravindra, the Charge d’Affaires of India’s UN Mission, emphasised the critical need for international condemnation at a UN Conference reviewing the progress of the programme against illicit small arms.
"The increase in volume and the quality of the arsenal acquired by these terrorist organisations reminds us time and again that they cannot exist without the sponsorship or support of States," Ravindra stated. While he refrained from naming specific countries, Pakistan is widely recognized as a key provider of weapons to terrorists targeting India.
Ravindra outlined the severe impact on India, citing decades of cross-border terrorism facilitated by smuggled illicit weapons, now increasingly delivered via drones. He asserted that the illicit possession and misuse of small arms and light weapons by non-state groups and terrorists represent a violation of state sovereignty.
Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu echoed these concerns, noting the significant harm caused by these weapons. "There is nothing 'small' or 'light' about the damage these weapons cause," Nakamitsu remarked. She pointed to the exacerbation of crime, displacement, and terrorism due to advancements in small arms technology, such as 3D printing, which facilitate illegal production and trafficking.
Nakamitsu referenced the New Agenda for Peace proposed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, advocating for regional collaboration to curb the flow and trafficking of small arms and light weapons. In line with this, Ravindra proposed a novel initiative, Regional 911, to unite countries in a region to dismantle arms trafficking networks and enhance the tracking and security of small arms.
Ravindra stressed the detrimental impact of illicit small arms on post-conflict disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration efforts. He highlighted India’s stringent export controls over all munitions, including small arms and light weapons, and offered to share India's expertise with other nations.
India, a member of the Wassenaar Arrangement against the illegal transfer of arms and dual-use items, has signed all thirteen counter-terrorism conventions and ratified the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime and its Protocol on Firearms. In contrast, Pakistan and China are not participants in the Wassenaar Arrangement.
By sharing its experience and strategies, India aims to contribute to a concerted global effort to tackle the illicit arms trade and prevent their misuse by terrorists.
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