New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday introduced a bill in Lok Sabha that seeks to prohibit financing of any activity in relation to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.

The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 also prohibits making available funds, financial assets or economic resources for any prohibited activity in relation to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.

The bill seeks to modify the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005.

The need of bill to provide against the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems was felt to fulfil India's international obligations.

The 2005 Act was enacted to prohibit unlawful activities in relation to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.

This Act covers unlawful activities relating to biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and their delivery systems and provides for integrated legal measures to exercise controls over the export of materials, equipment and technologies in relation to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and for prevention of their transfers to non-State actors or terrorists.

The statement of the objects and reasons of the bill states that the regulations relating to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems by international organisations have expanded in recent times.

The United Nations Security Council's targeted financial sanctions and the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force have mandated against financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.

"The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 seeks to prohibit financing of any activity in relation to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems; empower the Central Government to ) freeze, seize or attach funds or other financial assets or economic resources for preventing such financing," the statement said.