Highlights of the 4th NSS

The fourth NSS, the last in its current format, ended with leaders from more than 50 countries and four international organisations stating in a joint communiqué that “more work remains to be done to prevent non-state actors from obtaining nuclear and other radioactive materials, which could be used for malicious purposes.”

• The two-day summit was aimed at getting political leaderships directly involved in dealing with the threat of nuclear terrorism.

What’s expected ahead?

• India and Pakistan need to make progress in reducing their nuclear arsenal and ensure they do not continually move in the wrong direction while developing military doctrines.
• To reduce the global nuclear arsenal it is necessary for the U.S. and Russia, the two largest possessors of nuclear weapons, to lead the way.
• The Islamic State (IS) terror group obtaining a nuclear weapon was one of the greatest threats to global security. World leaders should work together to prevent such spread.

What has India done in this regard?

India has taken multiple measures to prevent terrorists acquiring nuclear weapons.

• India has set up a permanent team of technical and security experts from multiple ministries and agencies that conducts tabletop exercises simulating nuclear smuggling, phased out the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) and built a database of all radioactive sources in the country.
• It has also started real-time tracking of radioactive sources when they are transported and set up a network of 23 emergency response centres across the country for detecting and responding to any nuclear or radiological emergency.
• India is also in the process of equipping all major seaports and airports of the country with radiation detection machines.
• While nuclear security is a serious domestic concern, India also used the platform to push its desire formembership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the exclusive club that controls global nuclear trade.
• India’s export controls list and guidelines have been harmonised with those of the NSG, and India looks forward to strengthening its contribution to shared non-proliferation objectives through membership of the export controls regimes.