Beyond Stockpiles: UN Calls for Stronger Arms Tracing as India Decries Illicit Supply for Urban Terrorism
SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Institutions: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) | Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
During the UN Security Council Open Debate on Small Arms, UN and law enforcement officials warned the Security Council that the illicit trade and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW) are driving a transnational “chain of violence” that fuels conflicts, organized crime, and terrorism worldwide. Weapons are frequently diverted from national stockpiles or legal supply chains, with illicitly manufactured threats, such as 3D-printed “ghost guns,” now complicating black markets. The human toll is severe, with small arms causing a significant percentage of conflict-related civilian deaths, and the proliferation acting as a “cancer” driving instability across regions like the Sahel, the Great Lakes, and Haiti.
The international community was urged to strengthen stockpile controls, tracing systems, and compliance with arms embargoes. INTERPOL’s iARMS database was highlighted as a critical tool for tracing trafficked weapons.
India’s Stance and Domestic Measures
India’s representative at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Small Arms underscored the country’s unique challenges and commitment, on the backdrop of recent attacks in New Delhi:
Zero Tolerance for Sponsors: India stressed the necessity of adopting a zero-tolerance approach towards states and entities that facilitate, finance, or sponsor the use and illicit movement of small arms, noting that India has long suffered from cross-border terrorism fueled by such weapons, including those delivered via drones.
National Implementation: India attaches high importance to the full and effective implementation of the UN PoA and ITI. Domestically, India maintains sound law-based regulations and procedures for marking, record-keeping, and tracing of small arms. This includes maintaining a centralized, national electronic database of arms licenses (Arms License Issuance System).
Integrated Approach: India supports a coordinated, integrated approach that addresses both the security and developmental dimensions of SALW control, calling for stronger national legislation, better security protocols, and enhanced border controls.
This Security Council debate underscores the direct link between disarmament policy (SALW control) and national security policy (counter-terrorism and border management). India’s strong stance at the UN serves as a diplomatic push to legitimize its concerns regarding state-sponsored or state-facilitated cross-border trafficking. Domestically, India maintains sound law-based regulations and procedures for marking and record-keeping through systems coordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), but the call for real-time tracing and improved international cooperation indicates a policy need to close existing information-sharing and enforcement gaps.
The UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) adopted in 2001, is the globally agreed framework that guides Member States in implementing measures at the national, regional, and international levels to curb the illicit trade of SALW, including setting standards for marking, record-keeping, and stockpile security.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What specific bilateral or multilateral agreements are required to enhance real-time information sharing and tracing cooperation between India’s MHA and its regional neighbors to effectively disrupt SALW trafficking routes?
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