Israel-Palestine Conflict: Plea Filed in SC to Halt Indian Arms Exports to Israel

A petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court of India seeking an immediate suspension of all licenses permitting the export of arms and military equipment from India to Israel amidst the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. The plea calls for the cancellation of any existing licenses and a halt to the issuance of new ones, arguing that such exports violate India’s obligations under international law and the Constitution.

The petition, filed by 11 individuals including Ashok Kumar Sharma, a retired civil servant and social activist, names several companies involved in manufacturing and exporting arms and munitions. Among them are M/s Munitions India Limited, a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Defence, as well as private companies such as Premier Explosive and Adani Defence and Aerospace Ltd.

According to the petition, these companies have been granted licenses by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) or the Department of Defence Production (DDP) to export arms and munitions to Israel, including during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The plea, filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan, argues that continuing such exports is both morally and legally indefensible.

The petition highlights that India’s export of arms to Israel could potentially contribute to acts of genocide or other violations of international humanitarian law. It further asserts that under Articles 14 and 21, read with Article 51(C) of the Indian Constitution, India has a constitutional obligation to ensure that its exports are not used in a manner that could lead to human rights violations.

The petitioners urge the Indian government to immediately suspend all military assistance to Israel, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict, to ensure compliance with international law and humanitarian principles.