Voicing concern over the ‘very real threat’ of atomic weapons falling into hands of terrorists, India sought strict controls over such arsenal by countries having established nuclear programmes, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the challenges of terrorism and nuclear proliferation were inter-connected and ‘alarming aspect’ was the linkages that radical terror groups have forged with ‘a few nuclear scientists’.In an apparent reference to activities of Pakistan's disgraced scientist A Q Khan, he said it was well known how transfer of uranium enrichment technology, equipment and even weapon design has taken place ‘clandestinely and flagrantly in our region’.Addressing a seminar on Asian security which will focus on emerging challenges in the region, he said the threat of nuclear proliferation has been a ‘principal cause of concern in recent years’.The concern, he said, was not limited to new states acquiring nuclear weapons capability but extends to the ‘very real threat of terrorist groups laying their hands on nuclear material and even fully-assembled nuclear weapons’.He pointed out that one of the concerns related to the ‘inability of states to sufficiently safeguard their nuclear material, technology and facilities against attempts to procure weapons of mass destruction (WMD)-relevant items’.Another factor, he said, was the ‘deliberate and callous proliferation by states including state failure to exercise adequate control over personnel engaged in nuclear programmes’.
