Arms trade treaty passed, India abstains

The United Nations adopted a treaty on Tuesday to regulate global trade in conventional weapons, with India and 22 other nations abstaining. HT reports.

The United Nations adopted a treaty on Tuesday to regulate global trade in conventional weapons, with India and 22 other nations abstaining.

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The treaty, which had been under negotiations since 2006, would require exporting countries to not sell to governments with poor human rights and terrorism record.

It passed by 154 nations in favour, three against — Iran, Syria and North Korea and 23 abstaining. India wanted the text to be stronger on terrorism.

Sujata Mehta, India’s permanent representative of the Conference on Disarmament said, “We will undertake a full and thorough assessment of the ATT from the perspective of our defence, security and foreign policy interests.”