First UN SALW Training Programme in
Asia-Pacific Region being hosted by India
¨
First UN SALW Training
Programme in Asia-Pacific Region being hosted by India.
¨
The inaugural United
Nations Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW)
control in Asia has been hosted by the Indian Army.
¨
The three-week programme
is being conducted at the Military College of Materials Management in Jabalpur,
Madhya Pradesh from February 16 to March 6, 2026.
¨
The initiative is being
organised under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry
of Defence.
¨
The fellowship has been
conducted by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through
its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD).
¨
Delegates from 13
Asia-Pacific nations have been brought together under the prestigious training
programme.
¨
The inaugural address was
delivered by Deepayan Basu Ray outlining the UN disarmament framework.
¨
The keynote address was
delivered by Lt Gen Sanjay Sethi, highlighting the importance of multilateral
cooperation against illicit arms flows.
¨
The Fellowship is
designed to build the technical and operational capacity of government
officials implementing the UN Programme of Action (PoA) and the International
Tracing Instrument (ITI).
¨
These are key global
frameworks aimed at preventing the illicit trade, diversion and misuse of Small
Arms and Light Weapons.
¨ The initiative is intended to strengthen regional cooperation, tracing systems and responsible stockpile management.
¨ The programme reinforces India’s image as a responsible stakeholder and a regional hub for professional military training.
