'Listen to India's voice on nuclear disarmament'

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohammad El-Baradei today hailed India as a “leading advocate” for nuclear disarmament and asked the world to listen to its "voice" on elimination of all nuclear weapons.

"India called for the elimination of all nuclear weapons as far back as 1948. It is important that India's voice should continue to be heard as a leading advocate for nuclear disarmament," he said, while addressing the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy here.

IAEA Director General said if hopes of a nuclear weapons-free world have to be turned into reality, "we have to start laying the groundwork for a global security system that does not depend on nuclear weapons”.

It has to be a system built on human solidarity and equity; a system based on cooperation and not confrontation; on inclusion and not exclusion, El-Baradei said.