India Demands UN Zero Tolerance on Illicit Arms Post Red Fort Blast

Following a devastating blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, India has strongly urged the United Nations Security Council to implement a zero-tolerance policy against any entity involved in facilitating, sponsoring, or financing the illegal movement of weapons. Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish articulated India’s stance, highlighting the persistent threat of cross-border terrorism, increasingly amplified by trafficked arms and the use of drones. He emphasized that terrorist organizations are heavily reliant on external support and funding to sustain their operations. The explosion near the historic Red Fort resulted in a tragic loss of life, with at least nine individuals killed and several others injured, underscoring the urgent need for global action. India’s call at the UN Security Council’s Open Debate on Small Arms stressed that illicit arms trafficking poses a significant danger, enabling armed groups worldwide. Ambassador Harish reiterated that effective global cooperation, robust border controls, timely intelligence sharing, and consistent enforcement of UN arms embargoes are crucial. He also stressed the multifaceted nature of the problem, requiring both security and developmental interventions, including strong national legislation and data management. India reaffirmed its commitment to global frameworks like the UN Programme of Action (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), advocating for enhanced capacity building and information exchange to combat the misuse of small arms by terrorist entities.