India urges UN to adopt a verifiable, non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament treaty

During the UN General Assembly First Committee meeting, Manish Tewari presented India’s demand for a universal, verifiable nuclear disarmament framework that would bind all states. He highlighted the emerging danger of AI in nuclear command structures, insisting that launch decisions must remain human-driven. Reaffirming India’s defensive nuclear doctrine, Tewari noted the country’s no-first-use policy, credible minimum deterrence, and ongoing voluntary testing moratorium.

He called for legally binding negative security assurances for non-nuclear weapon states to reduce insecurity and strengthen the non-proliferation regime. Tewari also referenced India’s long-standing resolutions on de-alerting nuclear weapons and a proposed convention prohibiting their use or threat. While the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons does not obligate India, the statement underscored New Delhi’s continued commitment to global disarmament and preventing nuclear material from falling into terrorist hands.