United Nations, October 14: India has called on the international community to recognize terrorism and its sponsorship as crimes against humanity, stressing the need for accountability and stronger global legal mechanisms to address such acts.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly’s Legal Committee on Monday, BJP MP and Rajya Sabha member from Nagaland, S. Phangnon Konyak, said, “We emphasise that any definition of crimes against humanity must explicitly capture the heinous crimes and atrocities perpetrated by terrorists and their sponsors. Justice and accountability demand that such acts are not overlooked.”
Konyak underscored that the proposed international convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity must include provisions to address terrorism, while also respecting national sovereignty and legal diversity among member states.
She cautioned that any treaty should remain “consistent with the UN Charter and universally recognised principles of international law,” warning that failure to do so could “cause fragmentation and conflict with existing legal norms.”
The discussion comes as part of ongoing deliberations on a draft convention prepared by the International Law Commission (ILC), which the UN General Assembly has slated for negotiation meetings in 2028 and 2029.
Konyak noted that the draft draws inspiration from the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC), but pointed out that India and several other nations — including some permanent members of the UN Security Council — have strong reservations and are not parties to it.
She also highlighted widespread concerns over the politicisation of the ICC, reiterating India’s stance that states themselves bear the primary responsibility for ensuring justice and accountability for human rights violations and mass atrocities committed within their jurisdiction or by their nationals.
India’s statement reinforces its long-standing call for stronger global action against terrorism, urging the UN to recognise state-sponsored terror as one of the gravest threats to peace and humanity.
