India and Israel oppose UN resolution on conventional arms control

Millat Times Desk

03 November 2026 (Publish: 11:05 AM IST)

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India and Israel were the only two countries to oppose a Pakistan- and Belarus-sponsored resolution on conventional arms control at the United Nations, even as 180 member states voted in its favour. 

Explaining India’s position, New Delhi argued that security concerns cannot be restricted to regional boundaries and must be viewed from a broader global perspective.

The draft resolution, titled General and complete disarmament: Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels, was approved by the UN General Assembly’s First Committee on Monday. It received 180 votes in favour, two against and no abstentions.

India’s First Secretary at its Permanent Mission to the UN, Anmol Sher Bedi, explained the country’s opposition, saying conventional arms control is a global issue and should not be pursued primarily through regional and subregional frameworks.

Bedi said India’s vote was consistent with its long-standing position on the issue. He also questioned the resolution’s request for the UN Disarmament Commission to develop principles that could serve as a framework for regional agreements on conventional arms control.

He pointed out that the Commission had already adopted three consensus documents on the subject: guidelines and recommendations on regional disarmament in 1993, guidelines on conventional arms control and disarmament in 1999, and recommendations on practical confidence-building measures concerning conventional weapons in 2017.

Bedi questioned why the UN body was being asked to revisit an issue that had already been discussed extensively.

He also challenged the resolution’s approach to maintaining a balance in defence capabilities within regions and subregions. According to him, countries’ security concerns do not end at regional borders and often extend beyond narrowly defined geographical boundaries.

The resolution argues that conventional arms control should primarily be addressed at regional and subregional levels because many threats to international peace and security after the Cold War have emerged between countries within the same regions.

It also calls for agreements that strengthen regional peace and security while maintaining military forces and armaments at the lowest possible levels.

Separately, India voted against a paragraph referring to conventional arms control proposals made in the context of South Asia. The paragraph also mentioned initiatives in Latin America and other regions.

The resolution further states that militarily significant countries and those with greater military capabilities have a special responsibility to promote regional security agreements.