The meeting, which will last until February 27, is based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, which affirms, among other things, that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and their vector systems, by non-state actors, is a threat to international peace and security.

According to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement, 24 delegates from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are attending the meeting to address strategic trade controls for the Asia-Pacific nations as well.

The Ministry underscored that India is engaged in relevant multilateral forums with partner countries on disarmament, non-proliferation, and international security issues.

It added that the holding of this event refers to Delhi’s long-standing commitment to the objectives of universal and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their launching systems.

The diplomatic source noted that UNODA supports multilateral efforts to achieve the ultimate goal of general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.

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