United Nations Fellowship Training Programme on SALW Control

Context: India is hosting the inaugural United Nations Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Control for the Asia-Pacific region for the first time in Asia.

About United Nations Fellowship Training Programme on SALW Control:

What it is?

• The United Nations Fellowship Training Programme on SALW Control is a three-week capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening government expertise in controlling the illicit trade and misuse of small arms and light weapons.
• It supports implementation of global disarmament frameworks, particularly the UN Programme of Action (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI).

Host: Indian Army

Venue: Military College of Materials Management, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

Organising Institutions:

• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)
• UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD)

Aim:

• Strengthen National Capacities: Equip officials to implement UN PoA and ITI commitments.
• Enhance Regional Cooperation: Promote coordination among Asia-Pacific states on arms control.
• Improve Tracing & Stockpile Systems: Upgrade mechanisms to track and safely manage arms.
• Curb Illicit Arms Flows: Reduce diversion of weapons to terrorism and organized crime networks.

Key Features:

• Multilateral Disarmament Framework: Aligns with UN PoA and ITI to combat illegal arms proliferation.
• Asia-Pacific Focus: Brings together delegates from 13 regional nations to strengthen cooperation.
• Capacity-Building Orientation: Emphasises technical training in tracing, record-keeping, and stockpile security.
• Institutional Recognition of India: Reflects global trust in India’s arms management systems.
• Safe Disposal & Accountability Practices: Showcases India’s established mechanisms for responsible arms disposal.
• Strategic Security Context: Addresses threats from terrorism, insurgency, and transnational crime fueled by SALW proliferation.

Significance:

• Positions India as a regional hub for professional military and technical training.
• Reinforces India’s commitment to rules-based global order and responsible arms governance