India pushes legally binding nuclear disarmament framework at UN

At the UN General Assembly's First Committee, India called for a universal, verifiable framework for nuclear disarmament and offered to convert its no-first-use pledge into a multilateral legal arrangement.

India has called for a universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable framework for nuclear disarmament at the UN General Assembly's First Committee. Delivering the national statement, MP Manish Tewari said decisions on the use of nuclear weapons must remain under human control, especially as artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into command systems.

India reaffirmed its long-standing no-first-use policy and offered to convert that commitment into a multilateral legal arrangement. The statement positioned India as a voice for responsible nuclear stewardship amid renewed global arms-race anxieties.

The intervention comes as the First Committee debates emerging threats from autonomous weapons and AI-enabled warfare. India also reiterated its support for a step-by-step approach to complete nuclear disarmament.