India called for the establishment of a global, non-discriminatory, and verifiable framework for nuclear disarmament during the First Committee session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and stressed the necessity of keeping decision-making regarding the use of nuclear weapons under human control, given the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into defense systems.
The Importance of Human Control in the Use of Nuclear Weapons
During India's official statement under the nuclear weapons cluster in the First Committee of the General Assembly, Manish Tewari, a representative of the Indian Congress, pointed out the need to address the technological and operational risks posed by nuclear arsenals, particularly the dangers arising from the use of emerging technologies in nuclear command and control systems.
India's permanent mission to the United Nations published Tewari's remarks in a post, emphasizing New Delhi's commitment to global nuclear disarmament and efforts to strengthen the international non-proliferation regime. Tewari also noted that the use of artificial intelligence in nuclear command and control raises real questions and emphasized the principle that the decision to use nuclear weapons should be made by humans.
India's Defense Commitments and Global Disarmament
Tewari, emphasizing India's fundamental defense doctrine, stated that New Delhi's strategic capabilities are purely defensive and shaped by regional security realities, and are not targeted at any specific country. He declared: "As a responsible nuclear-armed country, India maintains a credible minimum deterrence policy with a no-first-use stance and no use against non-nuclear states."
He also emphasized that India is ready to translate these commitments into multilateral legal agreements. Tewari reiterated New Delhi's adherence to a voluntary unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing and called for negative legal guarantees to protect non-nuclear states.
Tewari further stated: "India believes that legal guarantees to non-nuclear states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons should alleviate their sense of insecurity and thus strengthen the non-proliferation regime."
In conclusion, Tewari stressed the importance of international cooperation to prevent terrorists and non-state actors from accessing nuclear weapons, materials, and technology, adding: "We are also committed to promoting international efforts to prevent terrorists and non-state actors from accessing nuclear weapons, materials, and technology."
