On Wednesday, August 4, 2024, 11 social activists approached the Supreme Court to stop the supply of weapons from India to Israel. These activists, represented by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, have filed a petition claiming that Israel is committing genocide in Palestine. They allege that despite this, the Indian government is not stopping private companies from supplying weapons to Israel. The petitioners are asking the court to order the government to halt the supply of military equipment to Israel.

‘Cancel the Licenses of Indian Companies’

The petition filed in the Supreme Court requests the central government to cancel the licenses of Indian companies that export weapons and other military equipment to Israel, and to stop issuing new licenses. The petition states that since Israel’s attacks on Gaza last year, Premier Explosives Limited has been permitted to export military equipment at least three times.

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Among the petitioners are Harsh Mander, Jean Drèze, Nikhil Dey, and Ashok Sharma, among others. The court typically does not interfere in matters related to foreign policy. It will be interesting to see if the court considers this petition based on the argument that the petitioners are citing India’s commitment to international anti-genocide agreements.

What Does the Petition Say?

The petition, in which the Ministry of Defense is named as a respondent, argues that “India is bound by various international laws and treaties that prevent it from supplying military weapons to countries guilty of war crimes. This is important because any such exports could be used to violate international human rights laws.”

The petition further states that the supply of military equipment and weapons to Israel by companies under the Ministry of Defense violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, as well as India’s obligations under international law.