Radioactive material smuggling has become a “new normal” in India. On 26 August, West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID) arrested two persons near Kolkata airport for illegally possessing 250 gm of radioactive Californium, the world’s second most expensive mineral, worth over $573 million. This is the third frightening incident in less than four months in India. Earlier on 3 June 2021, Bokaro Police in Jharkhand arrested seven persons for ‘possessing and planning to sell uranium, a major ingredient of nuclear weapons. Similarly, on 5 May 2021, the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) seized seven kg of the same radioactive material from two people.
While successive cases of radioactive material present a scary picture of the safety and security of radioactive material in India, it also highlights the authorities’ helplessness in the face of the rapidly expanding nuclear black market which appears to have deep roots in rogue elements in India’s nuclear programme. Ironically, the recent incident suggests that instead of taking preemptive measures, India continues to live in a state of denial.
In the earlier uranium theft incident of 3 June, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had blatantly denied the reports and stated that the ‘seized material was not uranium and not radioactive’. The MEA’s statement had come as a direct response to the Pakistan Foreign Ministry’s call for a probe into ‘seizure of nuclear material’ after reports emerged from Bokaro about ‘uranium material theft’. It is both surprising and ironic to note that the denial by Indian MEA clearly contradicts the Jharkhand Police FIR that maintained 6.4 kg of uranium was recovered from the two accused. Also, the arrested accused were booked under a section of the Atomic Energy Act.
The serious shortcomings in India’s nuclear security system tasked with defending one of the world’s largest stockpiles of nuclear material, not only put India in a dangerous situation and may lead to nuclear terrorism but also provide a breeding ground for the global nuclear black market. The consecutive incidents of nuclear theft and Indian failure to safeguard its nuclear material necessitate a thorough and transparent investigation by the Indian government. It’s also important for India to revisit its nuclear security structure to address the “rogue elements” within its nuclear establishment. The alarming frequency of nuclear-related theft incidents needs to be taken seriously by India lest the world is struck with an unthinkable catastrophe aided and facilitated by India
As this was not enough evidence to disprove the Indian EAM’s denial, the Indian Express report had also stated as per court records, five people, Deepak Mahato, Pankaj Kumar, Mahabir Mahato, M Sharma, Krishna Kant, had ‘gathered together and were planning to ‘illegally sell prohibited mineral uranium in the black market’. It further adds, “Court records state that ‘help was sought’ from the five arrested after which police nabbed Baapi Chandra near Vaibhav Hotel with ‘one plastic rubber packet’, which contained a ‘sample of a prohibited uranium mineral’.” According to the reports the material had “made in the USA marking” which shows that the traffickers are linked with the global nuclear cartel.
The Indian government’s denials of press reports and police press statements pointed to a new disturbing trend wherein the Indian government seemingly adopted the policy of withholding the truth and compromising on transparency in nuclear-related theft incidents. It is feared that the BJP Government might adopt the same policy this time too. India’s policy of denial is meant to keep the Indian public and the world community at large oblivious to what is actually happening in India. Its grave implications notwithstanding, Indian government complacency indicates that certain “inside elements” might somehow be involved in this dirty and dangerous business.
India’s refusal is unprecedented yet disturbing particularly when it has been seeking international assistance for its overwhelmingly expanding nuclear programme. The bitter reality remains that, India’s nuclear facilities are most vulnerable to nuclear terrorism, given India’s fastest developing nuclear programme which largely remains outside IAEA safeguards.
The vulnerability of India’s nuclear facilities is further aggravated by its thriving nuclear black market with its links to a global one. The three major nuclear material theft incidents in a span of just four months vindicate that nuclear material in India is unsafe. It might be surprising for a few but since 1994, there have been almost a dozen or more such major nuclear theft incidents reported in India, which involved at least 1 kg of radioactive material.
According to reports, India currently has 22 operational nuclear reactors and an array of nuclear weapons manufacturing facilities in operation. The safety and security of nuclear material at these facilities are far from perfect, which is also evident from India’s lowest ranking in nuclear security among global nuclear powers. According to the International Panel on Fissile Materials report, India has 2.5 metric tons of weapon usable HEU and 0.5 metric tons of Plutonium. No one knows how much of the radioactive material is still out there in the hands of unauthorized persons and has been sneaked out through the nuclear black market.
The serious shortcomings in India’s nuclear security system tasked with defending one of the world’s largest stockpiles of nuclear material, not only put India in a dangerous situation and may lead to nuclear terrorism but also provide a breeding ground for the global nuclear black market. The consecutive incidents of nuclear theft and Indian failure to safeguard its nuclear material necessitate a thorough and transparent investigation by the Indian government. It’s also important for India to revisit its nuclear security structure to address the “rogue elements” within its nuclear establishment. The alarming frequency of nuclear-related theft incidents needs to be taken seriously by India lest the world is struck with an unthinkable catastrophe aided and facilitated by India.
