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Nuclear Security Summit :INDIA AFFIRMS COMMITMENT, By Amrita Banerjee, 6 April, 2016 Print E-mail

Round The World

New Delhi, 6 April 2016

Nuclear Security Summit

INDIA AFFIRMS COMMITMENT

By Amrita Banerjee

(School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi)

 

With the constant onslaught of terrorist attacks and the scourge of nuclear terrorism hanging precariously in this tech-savvy world, the timing and relevance of the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) couldn’t have been more apt. Importantly for India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the opportunity to dispel concerns and reiterate his government’s commitment to nuclear safety by spelling out various initiatives undertaken.

 

The recently-concluded Summit in Washington was widely represented by leaders from over 50 countries and four international organizations--the European Union, IAEA, Interpol and the United Nations. It is an initiative of President Barack Obama to coordinate international efforts to prevent terror organizations from acquiring nuclear weapons or material. It also aimed at getting the political leadership involved in dealing with the threat of nuclear terrorism. Since the first NSS in 2010, international measures have reduced the risk of nuclear theft and made the illicit transportation of nuclear material difficult. Around 3800 kg of vulnerable fissile material has been secured and 329 sea and airports around the world now scan cargo for radioactivity.

 

Such a Summit has become the need of the day because the spectre of terrorism has only grown bigger as the Islamic State has more resolve and resources to seek a nuclear weapon than Al-Qaeda had. With terrorism spreading its tentacles whether it is in Pathankot, Paris or Brussels, care has to be taken to see that nukes do not get into the wrong hands.

 

Security experts have identified at least four specific threats that terror outfits pose. Firstly, these groups could acquire a nuclear weapon from the arsenal of a nuclear State; secondly, they could acquire enough fissile material to construct an improvised nuclear device; thirdly, they could acquire radioactive material from civilian sources such as hospitals or university laboratories that could be mixed with conventional explosives to make a radioactive dispersal device or ‘dirty bomb’. And lastly, terror groups could also sabotage a nuclear facility leading to large-scale loss of lives and destruction.

 

Amidst this entire discussion the question arises as to the specific role India can play in this arrangement. A recent report by the Washington DC-based Nuclear Threat Initiative, ranked India low in nuclear security measures. It cited corruption as a key reason that could compromise its nuclear facilities. Further, it opined that India’s nuclear materials’ security conditions could be improved by strengthening laws and regulations for on-site physical protection, control and accounting, and mitigating the insider threat, and ensuring protection of materials during transport as in line with IAEA guidance.

 

Even though the Government of India doesn’t take this report seriously, India’s situation continues to be vulnerable because the country is a source of nuclear material and a potential target of nuclear terrorism. While the nation takes pride in the security of its nuclear installations, ‘orphan sources’ i.e. devices with radioactive materials outside regulatory and security measures could pose serious risks.

 

Highlighting India’s responsibility for stewardship of nuclear weapons and materials, US Secretary of State John Kerry finds India’s role particularly important when the Indian subcontinent might see a possible arms construction in future. Earlier, the US had repeatedly said battlefield deployments make nuclear weapons vulnerable to theft and sabotage and has called upon Pakistan to desist from the move. However, Islamabad has turned down this request to hold back its deployment of tactical nuclear weapons.

 

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has stressed on the fact that India was deeply interested in seeing that the safety and security of the radioactive material must be ensured. In tune with the NSA’s assertion, India pledged a contribution of $1 million and Modi underlined the priority India has attached to nuclear security at home, in terms of institutional frameworks, resources for training people, and by continuing to reflect India’s international obligations in national actions. He also quoted the example of the use of Cesium 137 and India’s plans for enhanced engagement with the IAEA, Interpol and other international forums on the issue of nuclear security. In tune with it, India has also amended the Indian Atomic Energy Act and also established an independent Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority.

 

However, one of the crucial issues talked about in the conference for the first time was that there should be a reduction in the nuclear arsenal of India and Pakistan who should make sure that they do not move in wrong direction as they develop military doctrines. Often quoted in this context is the mutual accommodation between the Sino-US nuclear story, whereby Beijing and Washington have established an annual dialogue mechanism, a China-based nuclear security centre besides managing the nuclear waste jointly along with curbing illicit trafficking of nuclear material together.

 

But the crux of the story is that substantial progress in this sphere can never be achieved till the US and Russia, the two largest possessors of nuclear arsenal, are prepared to lead the way. In this regard, Russia was conspicuous by its absence because of its strained relations with the US. Their disagreements could limit the prospects of international cooperation on the issue but in reality despite differences Russia has taken the responsibility to remove the highly enriched uranium from Iran and is also cooperating on the New START Treaty and has removed 1300 tonnes of chemical weapons from Syria in recent years. With a tense Korean Peninsula, whereby North Korea has declared its intention to pursue its nuclear and ballistic missile programme in defiance of the US and its allies, Moscow’s role would be more prominent in future.

 

The joint communiqué of the Summit noted that “more work remains to be done to prevent the non-State actors from obtaining nuclear and other radioactive materials which could be used for malicious purposes.” As yet another Summit drew its curtain down for this year it has achieved only little in reality.

 

With a patchwork of many treaty and commitments, important issues -- like those including the vast majority of fissile material not in civil use; growing civil stocks of separated plutonium; sabotage of nuclear facilities; cyber threats to nuclear security; and the security of readily accessible high-risk radioactive sources that could be used in “dirty bombs” or other radiological weapons- are yet to be addressed.

 

Without prevention and prosecution of acts of terrorism there could be no deterrence against nuclear terrorism. In this respect, nuclear security must remain the abiding national priority for all countries and all States must completely abide by their international obligations. However, the weakness of summit outcome is shown by the number of summit participants that did not join the Joint Initiative. Considering that the commitments in the initiative are voluntary and qualified, the fact that over one-third of abstained is disturbing.

 

While it will be open for the next US President to convene more Summits in future, this year’s summit concluded with the formation of five action plans on existing international platforms that will continue with the nuclear security efforts and formation of a Nuclear Security contact group to help expert officials to coordinate with each other.

 

Whether the international community and the next US President can muster the political will to finish the nuclear security race is an open question. Till then this Summit would continue being a “sprint in the middle of a marathon”. ---INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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