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Home    >   UN Disarmament Commission   >  Statement by Ms. Rachita Bhandari, Counsellor (Disarmament), PMI to CD at the informal meeting of the Working Group II on TCBMs in Outer Space during the 2019 Session of the UN Disarmament Commission in New York on April 16, 2019

Statement by Ms. Rachita Bhandari, Counsellor (Disarmament), PMI to CD at the informal meeting of the Working Group II on TCBMs in Outer Space during the 2019 Session of the UN Disarmament Commission in New York on April 16, 2019

Mr. Chairman,

On behalf of the delegation of India, I would like to thank you for your sincere and diligent efforts in guiding the work of the UN Disarmament Commission’s Working Group II on TCBMs in Outer Space. You can rest assured of my delegation’s full support and cooperation as we continue our deliberations this year.

 Established by the first Special Session on Disarmament as the main deliberative body within the UN on disarmament issues, the Commission indeed plays a unique role within the existing disarmament machinery.  Its distinctive advantage as a forum which brings together universal membership of all States working on the basis of consensus remains unparalleled.  The Commission began deliberations on a new agenda item last year, in fact the first such new item in the last 18 years, on TCBMs in Outer Space. 

Since we last met a year ago, a number of developments have taken place with regard to discussions on outer space issues across various multilateral forums. The Conference on Disarmament was able to adopt the report of its Subsidiary Body 3 on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) by consensus in 2018, which was a welcome development. We were disappointed that the GGE on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, in which India played an active role, concluded its work last month in Geneva without adopting a substantive report by consensus.  While we were pleased that the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was successful in reaching agreement on 21 guidelines for all space actors to help ensure the long-term sustainable use of outer space, we were disappointed that consensus could not be reached on the remaining 7 guidelines.  It is also unfortunate that the resolution on Transparency and Confidence-building Measures in Outer Space activities, traditionally adopted by consensus, was voted upon at the First Committee last year.

Mr. Chairman,

India remains opposed to the weaponisation of outer space. India has not, and will not, resort to an arms race in outer space.  India has been a consistent advocate of the importance of preserving outer space as a common heritage of humankind.  We remain committed to maintaining outer space as an ever-expanding frontier of cooperative endeavour rather than conflict.

India is party to all major international treaties on outer space. India supports the substantive consideration of the prevention of an arms race in outer space within the multilateral framework of the UN.  We remain committed to the negotiation of a legally-binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space to be negotiated in the Conference on Disarmament, where it has been on the agenda since 1982.  At the 73rd session of the First Committee last year, India voted in favour of all resolutions submitted under the Outer Space cluster, including on the Prevention of an arms race in outer space (which we also co-sponsored), on Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space, on No first placement of weapons in outer space as well as on Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities.

In so far as TCBMs in Outer Space are concerned, it remains India’s considered position that while universal and non-discriminatory transparency and confidence-building measures can play a useful complementary role, they cannot be a substitute for legally binding instruments in this field.

India remains committed to playing a leading and constructive role together with other partners to consolidate and strengthen the international regime for outer space that is universal and non-discriminatory, and which reinforces the safety and security of all legitimate space-based actors.

In that spirit, Mr. Chairman, we look forward to participating in our deliberations this year which will be important in laying the foundation for the adoption of substantive recommendations at the conclusion of the triennial cycle next year. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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