The Government of India, in association with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), is conducting a maiden Capacity Building Programme on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 and Strategic Trade Controls for Asia-Pacific Countries. The programme is taking place at the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes, and Narcotics in Palasamudram, Andhra Pradesh, from 25-27 February 2025. At the government level, pundits from 8 countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iraq, Lao PDR, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are participating in the programme.
Additionally, speakers and experts from the UNSC 1540 Committee and UNODA, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), India, National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC), Department of Biotechnology, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, and Indian industry ,have been sharing their implementation experiences and best practices on the pertinent aspects of the UNSC Resolution 1540 and Strategic Trade Controls. According to the Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, “leaders of Indian industry will share their experiences and best practices on relevant aspects of Resolution 1540 and Strategic Trade Controls. The flagship programme is a reaffirmation of India’s robust credentials on non-proliferation and demonstration of its contribution to the international non-proliferation architecture. In an update by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), “The India-UNODA Capacity building Program on UNSC Resolution 1540 & Strategic Trade Controls for Asia-Pacific countries was inaugurated by @nacincbic.
The first-of-its-kind programme is a reaffirmation of India’s commitment to the international non-proliferation architecture” @UN_Disarmament @cbic_india.
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) is taking pioneering action in the Asia-Pacific to build capacity in the region and prevent attempts to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer or use chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and their means of delivery. Adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Security Council Resolution 1540 recognises that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery constitute a threat to international peace and security. According to the 1540 Committee that was established in pursuant to the Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 1540, “The resolution is significant as a binding instrument, which adds such illicit weapons trafficking as a new dimension of proliferation”.
India has been engaging in multilateral forums with partner countries on disarmament, non-proliferation and international security affairs. Its association is based on its longstanding commitment to the goals of universal and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament and the objectives of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.
