Topic: Trade in High-Tech Weapons Systems
Country: India
Delegate Name: Laura Lynch
School: Royal Oak High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All India position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The Republic of India understands the great importance of stabilizing the power between states that import and export weaponry. The trade of weapons should not be used as a weapon itself, and restrictions need to put in place and enforced to prevent further manipulation of both developed nations and states with less advanced science programs. The committee must develop safeguards to protect dangerous from technology from spreading in its typical manner.
A pivotal question to be addressed is who states should be allowed to export to? Should it be on a state-to-state basis or are other entities allowed to be involved in the trade? Should the few powerful exporters be allowed to barter with terrorist groups? How can we level out the unfairness that comes with trade, and should exports be allowed to remain at the top? What regulations need to be set in place, and how would they be enforced? The condition of economies with and without direct trade should be analyzed so that the final resolution is unbiased.
It is dire that our committee ensures a clear pathway for how our conditions will be regulated. Whether this be direct evaluation or system of strikes be implemented is among the desiderata of the Republic. Whether or not this inherent “manipulation” of trade is fair is also a factor crucial to the working of the resolution.
India is largely opposed to the ideas presented in documents such as the Arms Trade Treaty. The ATT is heavily set against countries that mainly import high-tech weapons, which in turn causes an imbalance in power favoring the few exporters. In addition, the treaty makes little mention of weapon trade to terrorist group, which intrinsically lowers the measures taken to prevent the spread of terror. The ATT makes mention of ammunition transfers, a topic that’s separate and should be left to another committee. The treaty doesn’t address trades that aren’t just outright sales, rather resource exchanges. These trades are then left in gray area.
India greatly looks forward to addressing these concerns in committee. The Republic recognizes that while some good may come from the ATT, it must be revised because it leaves far too many subjects unsettled. Working of the basis of the ATT, India ensures with great confidence that an all inclusive resolution can be settled upon.
