Concern over inherent dangers in ‘nuclear brinkmanship’: Diplomat

United Nations, October 15

Noting that the global security situation is in a flux, India said there is concern over the inherent dangers in “nuclear brinkmanship” pursued by countries as a cover for cross-border terrorism.

Ambassador Pankaj Sharma, Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament (CD), made the comments on Monday at the General Debate of the First Committee, which deals with disarmament, global challenges and threats to peace that affect the international community.

“The global security situation is in a flux. There is concern over the demise of some of the landmark disarmament treaties and agreements and the lowering of the nuclear threshold and the inherent dangers in nuclear brinkmanship, pursued by countries as a cover for cross-border terrorism,” he said.

He reiterated that as a responsible nuclear power, India’s nuclear doctrine continued to stress a policy of credible minimum deterrence with a posture of no-first use and non-use against non-nuclear weapon states.

Sharma’s comments came days after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan delivered his maiden speech at the UN General Debate and in his almost 50-minute address, devoted half of his time to India and Kashmir, drumming up hysteria over nuclear war.

In a strong reply, India had said Khan’s “threat of unleashing nuclear devastation qualifies as brinkmanship, not statesmanship”.

Sharma asserted that the disarmament machinery had not lived up to expectations, as evident in the deadlock in the CD for over two decades and the inability of United Nations Disarmament Commission to hold its substantive session this year.

“Yet, there is hope and optimism due to our underlying belief in the value of dialogue and cooperation,” he added. PTI