MJ Akbar asserted that India has always held that nuclear security is the domain of national sovereignty
India today called for strengthening of the global nuclear security framework to prevent "malignant actors" from getting access to atomic and radiological material, even as it asserted that nuclear security is the domain of national sovereignty.
Speaking at the IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Security in Vienna, Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar also reiterated India's commitment to global nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
"The sane world wants to prevent malignant actors from getting access to nuclear and radiological material and facilities. Recent developments show that terrorist use of WMD materials is not a theoretical concern. A breach of nuclear security could lead to unimaginable consequences," Mr Akbar said.
"Our meeting is therefore critical, urgent and essential. It underlines the Agency's central role in strengthening the global nuclear security framework, in facilitating national efforts on nuclear security, in fostering effective international cooperation, in setting future priorities and in forging technical and policy guidance," he said.
He stated that the meeting must carry forward the legacy of the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) process.
Mr Akbar asserted that India has always held that nuclear security is the domain of national sovereignty but this national prerogative demands national responsibility.
"All states must assume this responsibility and should scrupulously abide by their respective international obligations. Responsible national actions and effective international cooperation should be pursued together to prevent non-state actors and other malignant forces from threatening the lives of innocents on a mass scale,
destabilising regional stability and international peace," Mr Akbar said.
Mr Akbar's remarks came after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said "nuclear terrorists" can strike anywhere.
"Ensuring effective nuclear security is important for all countries, including those which possess little or no nuclear or other radioactive material," Mr Amano said at the start of a week-long ministerial conference on preventing misuse of radioactive materials and attacks on facilities.
Mr Akbar, in his remarks said, "As a regular participant in the IAEA's Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB), we encourage active participation of all member states in this network for sharing of information on illicit trafficking and other unauthorised activities or events involving nuclear and radioactive material."
India is ready to provide more financial and human resources to this task, not least by setting an example, he said.
"The security of nuclear and radiological material in India is constantly ensured through robust oversight by India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). IAEA's peer review mechanisms like the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) have acknowledged the strength of AERB's regulatory practices and capabilities," he pointed out.