Jabalpur

In a move aimed at strengthening India’s contribution to global peace and disarmament efforts, the Indian Army is hosting the inaugural United Nations Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) control for the Asia-Pacific region in Jabalpur, officials said on Monday.

The three-week programme began on Monday at the Military College of Materials Management (MCMM) and will conclude on March 6. Delegates from 13 countries across the Asia-Pacific region are participating in the fellowship, which is being conducted under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence, according to a defence release.

The fellowship is being organised by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, UNRCPD.

The programme commenced with a review of the United Nations disarmament framework by UNRCPD (Asia-Pacific) Director Deepayan Basu Ray.

Delivering the keynote address, Lieutenant General Sanjay Sethi underscored the strategic importance of multilateral cooperation in tackling emerging security challenges arising from illicit arms flows. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to global peace, responsible arms governance and capacity-building partnerships under the United Nations framework.

The fellowship is designed to enhance the technical and operational capabilities of government officials tasked with implementing the UN Programme of Action (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), which are key international frameworks to curb the illicit trade, diversion and misuse of SALW.

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Officials said that with the proliferation of illicit small arms being a major driver of conflict, terrorism and organised crime worldwide, the initiative represents a significant step towards strengthening regional cooperation, improving tracing mechanisms and promoting responsible stockpile management practices.