India on Tuesday, 21 October 2026 renewed its call at the United Nations for a comprehensive, legally-binding international treaty to ban the placement of weapons in outer space, warning that selective approaches to the growing threat of space militarisation would be “counterproductive.”

India’s Position at the UN

Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murty, part of the second contingent of Indian Members of Parliament joining India’s UN delegation, made the statement on behalf of New Delhi. “India reiterates its preference for a legally binding instrument, one that is universally acceptable, verifiable and multilaterally negotiated,” she said.

Murty emphasised that any such treaty must take a holistic view of the threats involved. “India notes that threats to the safety, security and sustainability of outer space, the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation, and the threshold for what constitutes a use of force in outer space must all be considered together,” she said, adding that “a selective focus on some threats over others would be counterproductive.”

The Negotiating Forum and Dual-Use Concerns

India identified the UN Conference on Disarmament, based in Geneva, as the appropriate multilateral forum for negotiating such a treaty. Murty also flagged the growing problem of dual-use space technologies — assets developed for civilian purposes but capable of military application — as a key driver of urgency.

Her remarks come at a moment of heightened concern over space militarisation. US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink acknowledged earlier this month that the United States has deployed “on-orbit space control weapons,” without disclosing their precise nature — marking one of the most explicit admissions by a major power of placing armaments in orbit.

The Existing Draft Treaty Debate

India acknowledged the draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects (PPWT), introduced jointly by China and Russia in 2008, as a basis for further discussion. “We take note of the draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space as a basis for further discussion,” Murty said.

The PPWT has faced persistent opposition, particularly from the United States, which has argued the draft is vague, fails to address Earth-based anti-satellite (ASAT) systems, and lacks an adequate verification mechanism. In 2024, the US and Japan co-sponsored a UN Security Council resolution aimed at preventing nuclear weapons in space, but the measure was vetoed by Russia.

Non-Binding Norms: Complementary, Not a Substitute

India signalled a nuanced but firm stance on non-binding transparency measures. While Murty acknowledged that “India is open to universal and non-discriminatory, non-binding norms and transparency and confidence-building measures,” she stressed that “these can complement, but not substitute for, a legally binding instrument.”

This comes amid a broader international disagreement on the “Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space” (PAROS) agenda, with nations divided on which approach — binding treaty or voluntary norms — should take priority. India’s call for a verifiable, multilateral framework places it in a distinctive diplomatic position, distinct from both the Western preference for soft norms and the China-Russia PPWT bloc. How major space powers respond in Geneva in the months ahead will shape whether a legally binding instrument moves closer to reality.