India, Israel vote against UNGA draft on regional conventional arms control

India and Israel were among the two countries to vote against a draft resolution at the United Nations General Assembly's First Committee on Monday (November 2, 2026), calling for conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels. The resolution, titled 'General and complete disarmament: Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels', received 180 votes in favor, two against and no abstentions from the 193-member body.

India's First Secretary at the Permanent Mission to the UN, Anmol Sher Bedi, explained the country's vote, stating that conventional arms control is a global issue and India is not fully convinced that it should be pursued primarily in regional and subregional contexts. Bedi also questioned the resolution's request to the UN Disarmament Commission to formulate principles for regional agreements on conventional arms control, noting that the Commission had already adopted consensus guidelines on the subject in 1993, 1999 and 2017.

Bedi further objected to the resolution's approach in maintaining a balance in defence capabilities within a region or subregion, arguing that security concerns of states extend beyond narrowly-defined regions and subregions. He also voted against a paragraph referring to conventional arms control proposals made in the context of South Asia, expressing skepticism about the need for another round of deliberation on the subject.