India stresses human oversight of nuclear weapons as AI enters defence systems
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi. India has underscored the need to retain human control over decisions involving the use of nuclear weapons, warning that the growing incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into defence systems raises fresh technological and operational challenges for global nuclear security.
Presenting India’s national statement under the nuclear weapons cluster at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) First Committee, Congress MP Manish Tewari called for a universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable framework for nuclear disarmament. He highlighted the potential risks arising from the deployment of emerging technologies in nuclear command, control and decision-making systems.
India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations shared the key elements of Tewari’s intervention on X, reaffirming New Delhi’s commitment to eliminating nuclear weapons and strengthening the international non-proliferation regime.
Recognising the growing concerns surrounding the application of AI to nuclear command and control, Tewari stressed that the ultimate authority over the employment of nuclear weapons must remain with human decision-makers.
“India acknowledges that the use of Artificial Intelligence in nuclear command and control raises real questions. We espouse the principle that the decision to use nuclear weapons should be taken by humans,” he said.
Reiterating India’s established nuclear doctrine, Tewari said the country’s strategic capabilities were based on credible minimum deterrence and shaped by its particular regional security environment, rather than being directed against any individual country.
“As a responsible nuclear weapon state, India maintains a policy of credible minimum deterrence with a posture of no first use and non-use against non-nuclear weapon states,” he said.
He added that New Delhi was prepared to translate these commitments into multilateral legal arrangements, reiterating that India’s nuclear posture was essentially defensive and guided by its national security requirements.
India also reaffirmed its voluntary unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing, reflecting its continued commitment to nuclear restraint.
Seeks legally binding guarantees for non-nuclear states
Tewari called for legally binding negative security assurances under which nuclear-armed countries would undertake not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against states that do not possess them.
Such assurances, he argued, would help address the security concerns of non-nuclear weapon states and reinforce the credibility of the global non-proliferation framework.
“India believes that legally binding assurances to non-nuclear weapon states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons should alleviate their sense of insecurity, and thereby strengthen the non-proliferation regime,” he said.
Reaffirming India’s longstanding advocacy of complete nuclear disarmament, Tewari stressed that the elimination of nuclear weapons must be pursued through a process that is universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable.
He advocated a phased approach supported by a universally accepted multilateral framework, arguing that meaningful progress would require equal commitments from all countries rather than selective or discriminatory obligations.
“This goal can be achieved by a step-by-step process underwritten by universal commitment to an agreed, non-discriminatory, multilateral framework,” he said.
Tewari recalled that India had formally outlined this approach in a working paper submitted to the UNGA First Committee in 2006 and subsequently presented at the Conference on Disarmament in 2007 as document CD/1816. He maintained that the principles underpinning the proposal continued to be relevant to contemporary international security challenges.
India highlights two longstanding disarmament resolutions
The Indian representative also drew attention to two resolutions that New Delhi has traditionally introduced at the UNGA First Committee to advance nuclear disarmament and minimise the dangers associated with nuclear weapons.
The first, ‘Reducing Nuclear Danger’, has been tabled annually by India since 1998. It highlights the dangers of maintaining nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert and calls for urgent measures to de-alert and de-target them. The objective is to reduce the possibility of accidental, unintended or unauthorised nuclear launches.
The second, the ‘Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons’, has been introduced by India since 1992. It urges the Conference on Disarmament to commence negotiations on an international convention prohibiting the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.
Tewari argued that a universally applicable and legally binding agreement prohibiting the use of nuclear weapons would help generate the political will necessary for their eventual elimination. He appealed to UN member states to extend their support and continue co-sponsoring the two initiatives.
Clarifies India’s position on nuclear weapons treaty
Addressing India’s position on the existing international nuclear disarmament architecture, Tewari clarified that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) did not impose legal obligations on New Delhi.
However, he emphasised that India’s position on the treaty did not alter its commitment to comprehensive nuclear disarmament or efforts to strengthen international non-proliferation mechanisms.
“The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons does not create obligations for India. Our commitment to global nuclear disarmament, nonetheless, remains unchanged, as does our commitment to strengthening non-proliferation,” he said.
Concluding India’s intervention, Tewari stressed the importance of sustained international cooperation to prevent terrorist organisations and other non-state actors from acquiring nuclear weapons, materials and associated technologies.
He said India remained committed to strengthening international efforts to deny such groups access to nuclear capabilities, warning against the potentially catastrophic consequences of nuclear materials and technologies falling into the hands of non-state actors.
India’s statement brought together its traditional position on universal nuclear disarmament and credible minimum deterrence with emerging concerns over AI-enabled military systems. By emphasising human oversight, legally binding security assurances and measures to reduce the risks of accidental nuclear use, New Delhi called for a more inclusive and effective international framework to address both longstanding and evolving nuclear security challenges.
