Alarmingly, India possesses a continuous track record of nuclear material theft and smuggling for more than three decades.
Indian nuclear regulatory laws reveal a concerning lack of oversight and critical vulnerabilities in its nuclear security infrastructure. The speedy pace of recurring such incidents hinted towards a treacherous fact that the Indian government and its authorities pay no heed to the ‘danger’ underlying within the ‘nuclear’ domain.
The nuclear security breaches raise serious concerns about India’s ability to safeguard its nuclear materials, which have the potential to bring about a human catastrophe, nurtured by India, via nuclear proliferation, nuclear terrorism and nuclear contamination and hazards.
Since 1994, India has witnessed recurring incidents involving the theft and illicit trafficking of uranium and other radioactive substances, which is cause for serious concern. The multiple events range from depleted, semi-processed uranium to radioactive uranium. Smuggling networks have been uncovered across various Indian states, including West Bengal, Mumbai and border areas near Bangladesh and Nepal.
In May 2021, Maharashtra police seized 7.1 kilograms of natural uranium from two individuals, which was valued on the black market at nearly $3 million. Just weeks later, authorities in Jharkhand apprehended seven suspects carrying 6.4 kilograms of uranium. These two high-profile seizures within a single month highlighted a systemic failure rather than isolated lapses.
Similarly, in August 2024, three individuals were arrested in Bihar’s Gopalganj district after being found with 50 grams of suspected radioactive Californium, a substance valued at crores of rupees. This incident has once again raised serious concerns about the security of India’s nuclear materials.
According to a chronology published by the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS-AJK), between 1994 and 2021, India documented 18 incidents involving the theft or loss of over 200 kilograms of nuclear material, including uranium. These incidents collectively reveal chronic failures in material protection, accountability, and law enforcement oversight.
Here lies another irony: India ranks ninth among the world's largest uranium-producing countries. Interestingly, India’s illegal uranium market is flourishing in full bloom in the absence of strict monitoring bodies. It is one of the largest uranium importers since the 1990s.
Despite being a signatory under UNSC Resolution 1540 and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, India’s inadequate regulatory framework paved the way for these recurring nuclear thefts and smuggling incidents, which not only undermine the global nuclear non-proliferation regime but also regional security.
It is pertinent to mention that Indian nuclear authorities maintained a defensive line against such incidents. The Department of Atomic Energy made face-saving arguments for its own people and the world that the uranium or radioactive materials found through theft or smuggled materials are of natural origin and it is not radioactive. Indian authorities maintained that natural uranium is used as fuel in nuclear power generation and for non-nuclear purposes such as shielding in teletherapy units and counterweights in aircraft. Although it emits alpha particles, which are easily stopped by paper or skin, ingestion can be harmful.
India lacks an independent nuclear regulatory body, as the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), operated under the Department of Atomic Energy, limits its autonomy and effectiveness. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have repeatedly recommended that India should establish an independent regulatory authority to oversee nuclear safety and security. But the Indian government has not made any progress in this regard. The current Modi regime is highly criticised for not prioritising nuclear safety and security as a matter of national security; in fact, it is also a matter of regional security.
Despite these glaring cases of nuclear security lapses, India enjoys its joint ventures of civil nuclear cooperation with its key strategic partners like the US, France, Russia, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, the Czech Republic, Namibia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The international community has largely refrained from making any public comments regarding the continuous incidents of nuclear security hazards. This is a clear reflection of the dual standards of the international community, which has prioritised its bilateral vested interests with India while endangering humanity, not only South Asians.
According to the Nuclear Security Index, India’s ranking in nuclear security has been assessed as low by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), with the latest 2023 report expressing concerns over the security of its nuclear facilities and materials against theft and sabotage in India.
Pakistan, being another nuclear state in South Asia, has consistently raised alarms in multilateral forums about consistent, demanding comprehensive investigations and international scrutiny against India's nuclear security practices. The country highlighted concerns over the security of its nuclear facilities and materials against theft and sabotage in India, which has the potential to endanger the whole region.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office urged the Indian government to provide an open and detailed account of how sealed radioactive source materials, such as californium, could fall into unauthorised hands. “It is dangerous for such sensitive material in India to be routinely found in the wrong hands.” The Pakistan Foreign Office demanded a thorough investigation of these incidents and assurances from India that it would take adequate steps to prevent future occurrences.
Pro-India critics claim that such incidents don’t pose any threats as they are non-nuclear. But these claims are just meant to lessen the sensitivity of nuclear thefts and illicit trafficking in India. The world must recognise the gravity of this issue of nuclear theft and smuggling and act swiftly to fortify the nuclear security framework in India.
It is time to act decisively against India’s irresponsible behaviour towards nuclear security.
The writer is a visiting senior research associate at SVI, Islamabad.