Author(s):
Alessandro Palmoso <alessandro@icbl.org> .
Tuesday 22 April 2008
1 March 2008 marked the 9th Anniversary of Entry into Force of the "Mine Ban Treaty" which prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of antipersonnel landmines and has been joined up to now by 156 countries. India is not a State Party to the treaty but has recently shown growing interest in the issue of landmines. Unfortunately, India remains one of the largest producers of mines along with countries like Russia, China and Pakistan – and it stockpiles about 40 thousands tons of these weapons.
Panellists at the conference on the indispensability of antipersonnel mines for India’s defence – Photo: CAFI.
On 26th March 2008, the Control Arms Foundation of India organized a one-day conference to commemorate the Mine Ban Treaty anniversary. The conference, entitled “The indispensability of antipersonnel mines for India’s defence: myth or reality?” gathered a large number of prominent participants, including Indian government representatives, civil society, academics, military analysts, lawyers, and international organizations.
The panellist debated whether the use of landmines is really indispensable to ensure the security of India’s borders. ICBL diplomatic advisor Ambassador Satnam Singh highlighted that if 80% of the world’s nations have been able to renounce antipersonnel mines as defence weapons, so could India. He stated that what is needed is not another weapon system to replace landmines, but rather a change in the military mindset and doctrine.The military utility of antipersonnel mines for the Indian Army was defended by major general Saighal, who indicated that the chances of the Indian Army stopping using the antipersonnel mines by 2020 are zero. However, one of the panellists declared that he did not “envisage the Indian army using landmines in the near future.”
The conference also focused on mine use by Non-state armed groups, including in Jammu and Kashmir and in India’s Northeast region.
The meeting provided a unique opportunity for an extremely useful debate between those who want India to join the Mine Ban Treaty - including the ICBL, the International Committee of the Red Cross and others - and those who think that India needs to continue to use antipersonnel mines for its defence.
