Is India’s nuclear arsenal safe?

[VelocuR]

UK's Daily Times report analysis on India.

Is India’s nuclear arsenal safe?

September 17 2013

It confuses me immensely as to why the mainstream media and Western governments are constantly generating a hype about the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal when they don’t seem concerned at all about the highly startling condition regarding the nuclear capabilities of India. Ever since the India-US nuclear deal has taken place, India has signed civil nuclear deals with more than half a dozen countries. Hence, the most precarious lie is advocated, that India has a strong track record of nuclear safety, to materialise these nuclear deals.

Electronic media reports lead us believe that India has a strong nuclear non-proliferation track record. On the contrary, the exceedingly alarming situation remains unnoticed. There is a largely ignored history of Indian illegal nuclear procurement, poor nuclear export controls and mismanagement of nuclear facilities. For instance, India diverted Canadian-supplied fuel for research and generating power to make nuclear weapons. But there is more to the nuclear program than meets the unsuspecting eye.

Let us look at nuclear safety first. There are numerous hazardous nuclear installations in India that could lead to a major disaster with extraordinary bearing on the lives of large populations around these facilities. According to an Australian newspaper (The Age), there is no national policy in India on nuclear and radiation safety. Despite all this, India has never made an effort to adopt world standards and best practices for nuclear safety. Radioactive waste disposal in Indian rivers is an undocumented environmental tragedy in India.

In India, nuclear facilities on coastlines are exposed to natural disasters like the monstrous tsunami of 2004. Beside the damage to the environment, there are numerous cases where workers were exposed to high radiation doses. There are 350 documented cases of radiation exposure that were reported at Tarapur, which is India’s first nuclear station.

There are huge nuclear security issues in India because it is prone to insurgent groups and separatist rebels. According to the Daily Mail’s reports, most of India’s top nuclear facilities are located in exceedingly Naxal terrorist struck districts of India or in the “Red Corridor”. Some of the sensitive nuclear installations situated in this “Red Corridor” are, Uranium Corporation Of India Limited, Talcher Heavy Water Plant, Institute of Physics, Ceramatic Fuel Fabrication Facility, Nuclear Fuel Complex, Seha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Atomic Minerals Directorate and many more.

Around 90% of the Red Corridor areas are a ‘No Go Zones’ for the Indian troops and Air Force. The Naxal rebels are in full control and there is no writ of the Indian government in these areas.

The shocking aspect of Daily Mail’s report is that some Indian nuclear scientists are reportedly assisting Naxal rebels to learn to utilise and transport uranium. On the other hand, many of India’s missile facilities are located in either the Red Corridor or in the areas controlled by Hindu radicals and militant organisations. There are reported cases of the abduction of nuclear scientists from these areas, which is a very disturbing situation with respect to the safety and security of nuclear weapons.

Any nuclear accident in India could have a serious impact on its neighbouring countries and hence, the insufficient safety and security measures are of great concern to Pakistan. Just imagine if a nuclear weapon fell in the hands of Indian terrorists; this could lead to an accidental nuclear war between Pakistan and India. Likewise, an accident at a nuclear power plant could release radiation that may not respect any borders.

India has to take numerous steps to ensure the safety of its nuclear program.

Michael Krepon – who is the co-founder of a Washington based think tank and has looked at South Asia for four decades – once said that, when it comes to nuclear strategy, people in Pakistan say little but act expeditiously! In India, on the other hand, people write much and act slowly.

Hence, merely talking about nuclear issues will not resolve the dilemma of nuclear insecurity for India; they will have to walk the talk. The Indian government needs to take concrete and verifiable steps to ensure the safety and security of their nukes.

--------------

Please focus on healthy debates, we will not tolerate trolling.

 

[Lightningbolt]

I'm still not convinced India has workable nuclear warheads. I know they have done nuclear tests but we don't know if they are miniaturised and workable nuclear warheads. India is world famous for empty boasting and blatant lying so you have to take everything they say with a huge grain of salt.

Until I see concrete proof that they have miniaturised workable nuclear warheads, I'm not ready to put them in the nuclear power club.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics is located in the middle of a effing city. Dafuq Kolkata city is in the heart of Naxal effected zone?

 

[scorpionx]

This was one of the best response to the blog:

From Amit;


i do'nt knw what to say its really nice of writer showing concern for indias nuclear policy and installation but he is way off target with desperate attempt to make evidences and data to concur with his own point of view rather than deriving a conclusion from the facts. as i knw most of the nuclear installations of india is in state of maharashtra, tamilnadu, gujarat, rajasthan and to best of my knowledge none of them are in so called eastern RED corridor or naxal affected areas also i think the Seha Institute of Nuclear Physics is actually SAHA Institute of Nuclear Physics located in kolkata which is not really naxalite area,Ceramatic Fuel Fabrication Facility, Nuclear Fuel Complex, Atomic Minerals Directorate are actually located in hyderabad where naxalism is not a issue but ya foriegn supported terrorist are definately but if india go by that then probably we dont have a place not even in another countries to install nuclear installations, last, is the fact that the coastal installation are already with far better safegaurds bcoz the whole kundankulam issue was about that and as if what i have read in newspaper safegaurds are of international standards as it was worked out by russia and indian authority, I really can't comment on pakistani nuclear installation as m not properly aware of it and dont want to comment on something i really not much aware of.

 

[KAL-EL]

Nuclear weapons is stupidity.

If india drops a nuclear bomb on China or Pakistan then the radiation will reach 50% of india's territory/people.

If China and Pakistan drop nuclear bomb on india then radiation will reach 50% of China and Pakistan's territory/people

Sir, I think thats way to much common sense for some of the bellicose individuals here to handle. They talk and act as if shooting nukes at one another is like a video game. it doesn't fit into their little PDF fantasy world that unlike in video games, there is no reset button.

 

[faithfulguy]

UK's Daily Times report analysis on India.
Michael Krepon – who is the co-founder of a Washington based think tank and has looked at South Asia for four decades – once said that, when it comes to nuclear strategy, people in Pakistan say little but act expeditiously! In India, on the other hand, people write much and act slowly.

This paragraph underline the nuclear situation in South Asia.

 

[third eye]

I'm still not convinced India has workable nuclear warheads. I know they have done nuclear tests but we don't know if they are miniaturised and workable nuclear warheads. India is world famous for empty boasting and blatant lying so you have to take everything they say with a huge grain of salt.

Until I see concrete proof that they have miniaturised workable nuclear warheads, I'm not ready to put them in the nuclear power club.

Who is ' I' ? Why would India want to convince you or show you ' proof" !!

I mean, relax.. dont take yourself so seriously and accept the fact that prople at large like ' I' in this case need not be told or convinced about anything.

You are welcome to your own conclusions.

George Bush had said to India's government "you take agriculture technology and not nuclear technology"

But indian government wanted nuclear technology and rejected agriculture technology.

Firstly, can we have a verifiable link to this dialogue purportedly having taken place.

Next, who is / was Bush to offer anything to India & why should India have accepted this ?

Lastly, India does what suits us . In any case there is very little 'agriculture technology' US can give India.

Avoid loose & sweeping remarks.

 

[third eye]

I read it in Times of India newspaper, 12 years back.

Ha ha ... along expected lines.

Another ' I have heard'.

In that case, India had tested nukes well before this ' offer' - what was he ' offering' .

 

[Shabz Nist]

This isn't from the "UK daily times". The source is a blog from express tribune: The article written by a neurotic ****.

 

[sree45]

UK's Daily Times report analysis on India.

Is India’s nuclear arsenal safe?

September 17 2013

It confuses me immensely as to why the mainstream media and Western governments are constantly generating a hype about the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal when they don’t seem concerned at all about the highly startling condition regarding the nuclear capabilities of India. Ever since the India-US nuclear deal has taken place, India has signed civil nuclear deals with more than half a dozen countries. Hence, the most precarious lie is advocated, that India has a strong track record of nuclear safety, to materialise these nuclear deals.

Electronic media reports lead us believe that India has a strong nuclear non-proliferation track record. On the contrary, the exceedingly alarming situation remains unnoticed. There is a largely ignored history of Indian illegal nuclear procurement, poor nuclear export controls and mismanagement of nuclear facilities. For instance, India diverted Canadian-supplied fuel for research and generating power to make nuclear weapons. But there is more to the nuclear program than meets the unsuspecting eye.

Let us look at nuclear safety first. There are numerous hazardous nuclear installations in India that could lead to a major disaster with extraordinary bearing on the lives of large populations around these facilities. According to an Australian newspaper (The Age), there is no national policy in India on nuclear and radiation safety. Despite all this, India has never made an effort to adopt world standards and best practices for nuclear safety. Radioactive waste disposal in Indian rivers is an undocumented environmental tragedy in India.

In India, nuclear facilities on coastlines are exposed to natural disasters like the monstrous tsunami of 2004. Beside the damage to the environment, there are numerous cases where workers were exposed to high radiation doses. There are 350 documented cases of radiation exposure that were reported at Tarapur, which is India’s first nuclear station.

There are huge nuclear security issues in India because it is prone to insurgent groups and separatist rebels. According to the Daily Mail’s reports, most of India’s top nuclear facilities are located in exceedingly Naxal terrorist struck districts of India or in the “Red Corridor”. Some of the sensitive nuclear installations situated in this “Red Corridor” are, Uranium Corporation Of India Limited, Talcher Heavy Water Plant, Institute of Physics, Ceramatic Fuel Fabrication Facility, Nuclear Fuel Complex, Seha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Atomic Minerals Directorate and many more.

Around 90% of the Red Corridor areas are a ‘No Go Zones’ for the Indian troops and Air Force. The Naxal rebels are in full control and there is no writ of the Indian government in these areas.

The shocking aspect of Daily Mail’s report is that some Indian nuclear scientists are reportedly assisting Naxal rebels to learn to utilise and transport uranium. On the other hand, many of India’s missile facilities are located in either the Red Corridor or in the areas controlled by Hindu radicals and militant organisations. There are reported cases of the abduction of nuclear scientists from these areas, which is a very disturbing situation with respect to the safety and security of nuclear weapons.

Any nuclear accident in India could have a serious impact on its neighbouring countries and hence, the insufficient safety and security measures are of great concern to Pakistan. Just imagine if a nuclear weapon fell in the hands of Indian terrorists; this could lead to an accidental nuclear war between Pakistan and India. Likewise, an accident at a nuclear power plant could release radiation that may not respect any borders.

India has to take numerous steps to ensure the safety of its nuclear program.

Michael Krepon – who is the co-founder of a Washington based think tank and has looked at South Asia for four decades – once said that, when it comes to nuclear strategy, people in Pakistan say little but act expeditiously! In India, on the other hand, people write much and act slowly.

Hence, merely talking about nuclear issues will not resolve the dilemma of nuclear insecurity for India; they will have to walk the talk. The Indian government needs to take concrete and verifiable steps to ensure the safety and security of their nukes.

--------------

Please focus on healthy debates, we will not tolerate trolling.

@Aeronaut, @Oscar, @WebMaster This guy deserves an infraction. Quoting a blog article from tribune.pk and saying it is a report by UK based daily times? WTF does he think? and in the end he says "We will not tolerate trolling"

@Op Stop misleading others.

 

[gslv mk3]

This paragraph underline the nuclear situation in South Asia.

I have a dobt,why dont they 'act' in case of developing nuclear reactors...

The 'big mouth' Indians have working PHWR,FBR designs,and have worlds best technology in case of thorium reactors...

 

[Indianpatriot1]

Sir, I think thats way to much common sense for some of the bellicose individuals here to handle. They talk and act as if shooting nukes at one another is like a video game. it doesn't fit into their little PDF fantasy world that unlike in video games, there is no reset button.

In that case why don't you set an example by disarming first. Who is the US scared of that it needs thousands of nuclear weapons??

 

[thesolar65]

UK's Daily Times report analysis on India.

Is India’s nuclear arsenal safe?



Please focus on healthy debates, we will not tolerate trolling.

For a moment I thought it as "Health debate" as one of our neighbor starts every debate with this.

Now to the Title :

No, Could any of our neighbor who are supposed to be very apt in handling nuclear weapons take care of our weapons or reactors and do the AMC (Annual maintenance). We will pay you handsomely. Also please hand over the weapons in good condition during war. O.K

 

[VelocuR]

I don't think, Indians read this paragraph properly

"The shocking aspect of Daily Mail’s report is that some Indian nuclear scientists are reportedly assisting Naxal rebels to learn to utilise and transport uranium. On the other hand, many of India’s missile facilities are located in either the Red Corridor or in the areas controlled by Hindu radicals and militant organisations. There are reported cases of the abduction of nuclear scientists from these areas, which is a very disturbing situation with respect to the safety and security of nuclear weapons.

Any nuclear accident in India could have a serious impact on its neighbouring countries and hence, the insufficient safety and security measures are of great concern to Pakistan. Just imagine if a nuclear weapon fell in the hands of Indian terrorists; this could lead to an accidental nuclear war between Pakistan and India. Likewise, an accident at a nuclear power plant could release radiation that may not respect any borders.

India has to take numerous steps to ensure the safety of its nuclear program.

Michael Krepon – who is the co-founder of a Washington based think tank and has looked at South Asia for four decades – once said that, when it comes to nuclear strategy, people in Pakistan say little but act expeditiously! In India, on the other hand, people write much and act slowly."

Not satisfied?

----------------

A Naxal threat to India's nuclear arsenal?

Foreign Policy Association
June 29th, 2010

Someone recently asked me if the Naxalites could be considered a threat to India’s nuclear arsenal. My answer was a potential threat, but a highly remote one.

The Naxalite problem in India has grown exponentially over the last few years, and they have become one of India’s biggest security risks. The recent attacks on security personnel and civilians have shown how violent and barbaric the Naxalities have become. They have stopped being rebels protesting against the government machinery, and become domestic terrorists/ militants. However, I do not think that they are a threat to India’s nuclear arsenal.

One of the most important reasons for this is the fact that the Naxalites primarily operate in the tribal, forested areas that are significantly far away from the major nuclear installations in the country. Though the Naxals have attacked outside of the strictly forest areas, I doubt if they would risk leaving the safety of their hideouts to steal nuclear material sufficient enough to cause harm. Not to mention the heightened counter-operations against the Naxalites in the recent months.

I also think that if we look at their fighting methods, nuclear attacks do not seem to fit their MO. Conventional weapons, the smaller quick killing machines that each can carry seem more like their idea of weapons. The Naxalites mostly operate using guerrilla tactics within a restricted area. To carry out a nuclear attack they would have to leave their safety zones and venture out far enough so that they themselves are shielded from the effects of a nuclear explosion.

Another important aspect to be considered is that even though industrial safety and security are not exactly exemplary in India, nuclear installations are among the highest priority units in terms of security. They are mostly under IAEA safeguards which also include guidelines for physical security of such installations. India’s nuclear sites are heavily guarded and protected and I do not believe that it would be easy to sneak out sufficient nuclear material to detonate a bomb. Any kind of nuclear device would require significant infrastructure and training on part of the Naxals. It seems improbable considering that most of the Naxal recruits come from the tribal, under-privileged populations.

This does not mean that the Naxalites could not pose a threat to Indian nuclear installations in the future. But, it is a difficult proposition and can be thwarted by controlling the Naxal menace. It would take comprehensive policy planning and security operations that the Manmohan Singh government has promised to carry out.

As nuclear installations in the country increase with India’s emphasis on nuclear energy to meet its growing energy requirements, the security of these establishments would demand more focus. For the security and safety of its people and to maintain credibility as a responsible nuclear power, India would have to implement the best security practices. It would also help to take a hard look at its industrial safety policies and implement necessary changes for the safety of its people. The nuclear liability bill is an important part of this equation, and should be debated objectively with the highest priority to the overall security situation in the country.

June 2013

 

[neehar]

had a good laugh at the article.people like these are the ones who terrify the public with all kinds of propaganda..silly immature jurnos...
There is a largely ignored history of Indian illegal nuclear procurement, poor nuclear export controls and mismanagement of nuclear facilities.-proof???

India diverted Canadian-supplied fuel for research and generating power to make nuclear weapons-false again india did it with fuel produced from a canadian reactor

There are numerous hazardous nuclear installations in India that could lead to a major disaster with extraordinary bearing on the lives of large populations around these facilities. According to an Australian newspaper (The Age), there is no national policy in India on nuclear and radiation safety-as if australian jurnos are invited to our nuclear facilities every week end.they want to make a buck with these rubbish claims and these were dumb enough to believe them.

Despite all this, India has never made an effort to adopt world standards and best practices for nuclear safety-IAEA
Indian nuclear plants notch top performance in 2012 - The New Indian Express

There are huge nuclear security issues in India because it is prone to insurgent groups and separatist rebels.-bull ****

According to the Daily Mail’s reports, most of India’s top nuclear facilities are located in exceedingly Naxal terrorist struck districts of India or in the “Red Corridor”.-just because they are located in the states which may have a presence of naxals doesnt mean they are in an unsafe environment.no single attack took place on our installations till now and this fact alone is sufficient to guage the safety.


The shocking aspect of Daily Mail’s report is that some Indian nuclear scientists are reportedly assisting Naxal rebels to learn to utilise and transport uranium.-utilize seriously??nothings more hilarious like our scientists are teaching them to make rasam,sambar with uranium.

Just imagine if a nuclear weapon fell in the hands of Indian terrorists-and who are these indian terrorists??


finally to the author-Hasan Ehtisham ..need not write b.s with out enquiring properly the facts just because the news is abt india.



nuff said..