The recurrent incidents of uranium theft and smuggling in India have highlighted the alarming poor security arrangement of the Indian nuclear programme.

In a report released by Pakistan based Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research, defence analysts said the theft of nuclear material over the last two decades in India posed a serious threat of nuclear terrorism, necessitating action by the global powers to address the poor safety standards in the country.

Defence analysts said a number of uranium substance theft incidents in the recent past occurred in India, which indicated the presence of a black market for nuclear materials inside India.

They said the recurring incidents of security lapses, including the theft of enrichment material, clearly indicated that India’s security mechanism and nuclear doctrine have serious loopholes, which should be a concern for the international community

Experts said such incidents raise concerns about India, which has emerged as a potential hotspot in the illegal trade of nuclear technology and materials vital for a malicious nuclear supply chain for state and non-state actors.