India

India has participated in most Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons meetings on autonomous weapons systems.

India does not support the negotiation of a legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons systems.

India has opposed proposals for a legally binding instrument, stating that ‘India believes that such proposals are premature as we have not sufficiently explored various options for addressing the humanitarian and international security challenges posed by emerging technologies.’^[1]Statement by India, CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, 05 August 2021, http://149.202.215.129:8080/s2t/UNOG/LAWS-05-08-2021-PM_mp3_en.html; please note that this link leads to the full … Continue reading India has stated that ‘autonomy in critical functions of a weapon system would impart more precision and accuracy and would avoid human errors.’^[2]Statement by India, CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, 03 August, 2021, http://149.202.215.129:8080/s2t/UNOG/LAWS-03-08-2021-AM_mp3_en.html; please note that this link leads to the full … Continue reading Further, India has stressed that ‘technology should not be stigmatised and any potential policy measures taken within the context of the CCW should not hamper progress in or access to peaceful users of intelligent autonomous technologies.’^[3]Statement by India, CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, 04 August 2021, http://149.202.215.129:8080/s2t/UNOG/LAWS-04-08-2021-PM_mp3_en.html; please note that this link leads to the full … Continue reading

At the 77th UN General Assembly First Committee, India stated that ‘India has and will continue to actively participate in the work of the GGE on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems. India believes that these deliberations are most appropriately continued within the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.'^[4]Statement by India, 77th UN General Assembly First Committee, 10 October 2022, https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com22/statements/10Oct_India.pdf. India further stated that ‘We believe that addressing LAWS within the framework of the CCW strengthens the convention and underlines that it is capable of responding meaningfully to evolving new technologies applicable to armed conflict in the 21st century. It is imperative that we develop a common, considered, and shared understanding of the concepts before we take any decisive steps.'^[5]Statement by India, 21 October 2022, https://media.un.org/en/asset/k19/k19sr7owch; please note that this link leads to the full recording & transcript of the relevant meeting.

Though India is one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement, which supports the negotiation of a legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons systems, it has taken a separate stance on this issue.

India is involved in the development of weapons systems with autonomous functions.^[6]See, for example, SIPRI (2017), Mapping the development of autonomy in weapon systems, … Continue reading