New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) requesting a ban on the export of arms and military equipment to Israel amid the ongoing Gaza genocide, stating that the judiciary cannot interfere in matters of the nation’s foreign policy.
The bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, explained that Indian companies could not be prevented from fulfilling their contracts as this could lead to lawsuits for breach of contractual obligations.
“We cannot intervene in the country’s foreign policy,” the bench was quoted as saying by PTI. CJI Chandrachud further said, “Can we order a ban on exports to Israel under the UN’s genocide convention? Such restraint impacts foreign policy, and we do not fully understand the potential consequences.”
The PIL was filed by Ashok Kumar Sharma and others through lawyer Prashant Bhushan, seeking an order to revoke existing licences and prohibit new ones for Indian companies exporting arms to Israel.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians. So far, Israel has killed nearly 41,000 Palestinian lives to date, as announced by health ministry in Gaza.
Meanwhile, UNHRC chief Volker Turk called for an end to the nearly year-long war in Gaza, urging nations to address Israel’s “blatant disregard” for international law in the Palestinian territories.
Reuters quoted Turk saying, “Ending the war and preventing a regional conflict is an urgent priority. States must not tolerate such disregard for international law, including binding decisions of the UNSC and orders from the International Court of Justice.”
