The Hindu : Front Page : Parliament approves WMD Bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 14, 2005

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Front Page

Parliament approves WMD Bill

Special Correspondent

Bill seeks to prevent transfer of weapons of mass destruction and technology from India

India is committed to safeguarding its security as a nuclear weapons state and deepening its scientific capability to meet its security imperatives.

NEW DELHI: Parliament has approved the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery System (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Bill, 2005 with its passage in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. The Bill seeks to prevent transfer of weapons of mass destruction and their technology from India. The Lok Sabha passed it on Thursday.

Replying to discussion, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh assured the Rajya Sabha that India remained and " will remain a responsible nuclear power.'' The country was fully committed to safeguarding its security as a nuclear weapons state and deepening its scientific capability to meet security imperatives as well as developmental goals.

To check leakage

The Bill sought to check not the development of missile technology but the leakage of technology. "Our policy is not to encourage and induce other nations to develop nuclear weapons.''

Pointing to vacant benches, Mr. Singh wished that the Opposition members had participated in the debate on the issue of national importance.

Responding to a suggestion by Jairam Ramesh (Congress) that confidence-building measures with Pakistan and China in the field of nuclear and missile defence be converted into treaties, he said it could be considered.

India's basic tenet and top priority was the pursuit of global nuclear disarmament. The country did not sign the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty as it was discriminatory and unbalanced. "India remains committed to maintaining transparency and credible minimum deterrent. We even came out with no first use of nuclear weapon,'' Mr. Singh said referring to Pakistan's nuclear capability that reduced India's superiority in that field.

Delay denied

Mr. Singh disagreed with some members, who felt that the Bill had been delayed. United Nations resolution 1540, which made it mandatory for all member-nations to enact such a law to prevent trafficking in nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, was passed in April last. The Government had to consult a large number of departments and ministries to draft the Bill.

Responding to an apprehension expressed by K. Malaisamy (AIADMK) that such deadly weapons could fall into hands of terrorist outfits such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr. Singh assured him that it would not happen. On enforcement of the legislation, he said the Cabinet Secretariat would be the nodal body for supervision and the External Affairs Ministry would be closely associated.

Earlier, members favoured India pursuing an independent course in dealing with Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) rather than buckle under international pressure.

A Vijayaraghavan (CPI-M) said India, apart from being a nuclear power, was one of the founder-members of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Some countries were posing as fighters against terrorism after encouraging terrorists and terrorism.

Ashwini Kumar (Congress) disagreed with the suggestion that the WMD Bill came under external pressure.

It "is a right step in right direction" and fulfilment of Rajiv Gandhi's dream in progressing towards total disarmament.

Describing the Bill as "timely and appropriate,'' K. Kasturirangan, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, said India had the strong technological foundation laid by Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai and it developed technology without outside help.

"Despite having this technology, the country never thought of commercialising it. We have resisted these temptations and are only reiterating what we have followed.''

Mr. Jairam Ramesh said the Bill was not a feather in India's cap. It should have been brought in much earlier. Saifuddin Soz disagreed with his party colleague and said it was a "necessary mechanism'' which came well in time.

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