A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court, urging the Indian government to cancel existing licenses and cease issuing new ones for the export of arms and military equipment to Israel. The legal action, initiated by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, argues that such exports by Indian firms, including public sector enterprises under the Ministry of Defence, are contrary to India’s obligations under international law.
The petitioners, led by Noida resident Ashok Kumar Sharma, assert that India’s military trade with Israel, amidst ongoing hostilities in Gaza, violates international treaties to which India is a signatory. These treaties mandate member states to refrain from supplying military support to nations engaged in war crimes.
The plea references a recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on January 26, 2024, which imposed provisional measures against Israel for breaches of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip. Following this decision, United Nations experts issued a warning against the transfer of arms to Israel, suggesting that such actions could lead to state complicity in international crimes, potentially including genocide.
Furthermore, the petition cites Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, emphasizing the need to align domestic policies with broader international commitments to human rights and humanitarian law.
