India hopes for arms treaty consensus
As hard-nosed negotiations to hammer out a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) by UN members are conducted in New York, India is hoping that the treaty, which aims to regulate the conventional weapons market valued variously between from $40 to $60 billion a year, emerges from consensus. Sources here conceded that while the emphasis on a consensus-based approach and outcome “sets the bar high”, they said that India has its reasons for insisting on this. For, if major stakeholders are not on board, there will be a huge gap in the implementation of this important piece of legislation. The US too is in favour of a consensus on the treaty. A “practical and implementable” treaty is what India is also looking at. Importantly, while the ATT will be an international treaty, it’s primary purpose will be national implementation by countries.
One of the main objectives of the proposed treaty is to check illicit trade in conventional weapons — something that’s fuelling conflict in many countries. It also aims at preventing weapons falling into the hands of terrorists and those involved in organised crime. India is also keen that arms brokering which also fuels illicit weapons transfers and is banned here also comes under the proposed treaty’s ambit.
Negotiations on the treaty began in New York on July 2 and are expected to continue until July 27. The view here is that if major exporters and importers of conventional arms weapons don’t go along with the ATT, it won’t achieve its objective.
India’s permanent representative to the conference on disarmament in her remarks at the plenary of the on-going UN conference too had emphasised that India was “willing to work for a realistic, balanced and implementable instrument through a process and an outcome based on consensus.” Ms Mehta also stressed on yet another issue of import for India — that the proposed treaty should “strike a balance in the obligations of exporters and importers without unduly hampering legitimate trade in conventional arms.” Sources said it means that India would like a “balance of obligations between exporters and importers.” For, India, though a major importer of arms at present, would like to keep the option of exporting more arms remain.
The conventional weapons that are expected to be covered are battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large calibre artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missile and missile launchers.
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