India is facing a “serious challenge” of cross-border supply of illicit weapons using drones, which cannot be possible without active support from State authorities, New Delhi’s envoy here said in an apparent reference to Pakistan.
At the UNSC open debate on “Threats to International Peace and Security Risks Stemming from Violations of Agreements Regulating the Exports of Weapons and Military Equipment” held on April 10, 2023, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said “certain states with dubious proliferation credentials that collude with terrorists should be held accountable for their misdeeds.
“The export of weapons and military equipment in violation of international law, exacerbating geopolitical tensions cannot be ignored,” she said.
According to Kamboj, the quantum of these threats multiplies when “certain states with dubious proliferation credentials, in the view of their masked proliferation networks and deceptive procurement practises of sensitive goods and technologies, collude with terrorists and other non-state actors.”
“For example, the rise in volume and quality of small arms acquired by terrorist organisations remind us time and again that they cannot exist without sponsorship and support from states,” she said.
In India’s context, “we are facing a serious challenge of cross border supply of illicit weapons using drones which is not possible without active support from authorities in control of those territories,” an apparent reference to Pakistan.
Very often, drones from Pakistan carrying arms and drugs have been shot several times by the Border Security Force (BSF). The most recent incident related to the above took place on April 1, 2023, when the BSF opened fire at a suspected Pakistani drone along the International Border in Jammu. This was the second such incident since mid-March.
Kamboj called on the international community to “condemn such behaviour and hold states accountable for their misdeeds.”
She said that the illicit transfer of arms, including conventional arms and ammunitions, Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) or Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), their delivery systems, and related materials, equipment and technology to non-state actors including terrorists and armed groups pose serious threats to international peace and security.
“The unravelling of the global disarmament structure and landmark arms control agreements raise deep concerns about the edifice built over several decades and uncertainties that lie on the road ahead,” she added.
Kamboj stressed that the pursuit of the prevention of unregulated trade in conventional weapons and related dual-use goods and technologies “cannot restrict and should not prejudice the legitimate right of states to engage in arms trade for self-defence and in pursuit of their foreign policy and national security interests.” It is important to strike a balance between the obligations of exporters and importers, without unduly hampering legitimate trade in conventional arms, she said.
She asserted that India has been consistent in stressing the importance of addressing the rapid revolution of proliferation risks due to emerging and new technologies, particularly access to WMDs, their means of delivery and related materials, equipment and technology by terrorist groups and other non-state actors.
The Russian Permanent Vassily Nebenzia told the Council that Moscow repeatedly called meetings of the Security Council to address the dangerous consequences of “pumping up” the Kyiv regime with weapons, which clearly illustrates the risks of violating the obligations in the area of WME control.
“Regardless of approaches by certain countries to the developments in Ukraine, these risks are real and can apply to other regions as well and the Security Council must respond to them and discuss them jointly with other member states.”
He stressed the fact that the West is “not interested in putting an end to the crisis in Ukraine.” They just want the crisis to continue which they do not hesitate to say out loud, he said.
Ambassador Robert Wood of the US Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs said at the open debate that the greatest risk of illicit trafficking comes from battlefield capture of weapons by Russia and pro-Russia forces.
“Russia has proposed that it would supply captured weapons to separatists in eastern Ukraine. These statements and actions are dangerous and irresponsible, “he said.
In November 2022, North Korea delivered infantry rockets and missiles to Russia for use by the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group, and “we know Russia is actively seeking to acquire additional munitions” from North Korea.
“Such arms transfers from the DPRK to Russia directly violate Security Council resolutions.
Mr Wood noted that Iran has also transferred UAVs to Russia, a fact Iran’s foreign minister acknowledged in public statements on November 5, 2022.
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