25.9.09

India and the NPT


The pressure on India to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is all set to increase sharply with US President Barack Obama on Thursday leading the UN Security Council to insist that all countries must sign the treaty that New Delhi has called discriminatory. The Obama-authored UN Security Council Resolution 1887, which was unanimously approved, calls all states to sign off on a treaty that many felt was crafted to perpetuate the monopoly of nuclear haves over atomic weapons. The resolution is seen as aimed especially against hold-outs such as India and Pakistan, as well as the signatories planning to withdraw from the treaty. The measure did not come as a surprise to India which had anticipated the escalation in the US-led effort to lead it into the NPT fold since Obama made plain his intent to play a proliferation evangelist. In fact, it made its resolve not to fall in line plain on Wednesday itself. The position was conveyed by H S Puri, India’s permanent representative to the UN, to his US counterpart as well as the Security Council. The US is the current head of the Council. Stressing that India cannot accept obligations arising out of a treaty which it hasn’t signed, the letter said that nuclear weapons were vital for the country’s security. “This position is consistent with the fundamental principles of international law and the Law of Treaties. India cannot accept calls for universalization of the NPT.”

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