On 5 May 2017, India opposed listing of asbestos under the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) list of hazardous substances during the 2017 United Nations Rotterdam Convention. becoming the second Democracy (After Russian Federation) to have such a stand in the world. Besides India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, and Zimbabwe also opposed the listing. While, all the other countries opposing are producers of asbestos; India ("where mining is banned") is the sole ("and largest") consumer and importer of asbestos still opposing its inclusion on the PIC List.