News Brief
Ship Suspected To Contain Consignment For Pakistan's Nuclear Programme Stopped At Mumbai Port: Report
Suspected Consignment For Pakistan's Nuclear Programme At Mumbai Port. Source: X/PTI
Indian security agencies have halted a Karachi-bound vessel from China at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port over concerns regarding a potential dual-use consignment aiding Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile program.
As per reports by Hindustan Times, Customs authorities, acting on intelligence inputs, detained the Malta-flagged merchant ship, CMA CGM Attila, on 23 January, en route to Karachi.
The cargo, featuring a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine manufactured by an Italian company, underwent thorough inspection during the operation.
Subsequently, the port officials alerted Indian defence authorities, leading to the seizure of the consignment aimed at preventing possible proliferation activities by Pakistan and China.
Despite initial documentation indicating a consignee in Pakistan, a deeper probe revealed discrepancies, suggesting the involvement of entities like Cosmos Engineering, known for its defence-related activities.
Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defence supplier, has been on a watchlist since 12 March 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments.
It's important to note that CNC machines are advanced manufacturing devices guided by computer software, controlling various machinery such as grinders and lathes with unparalleled efficiency and accuracy.
Concerns arose as Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) experts certified the consignment's potential utility for Pakistan's nuclear programme, citing its capability to manufacture critical missile components.
CNC machines are covered by international arms control regimes like the Wassenaar Arrangement since 1996 and are closely monitored due to their dual-use nature.
In June 2023, the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) had sanctioned three Chinese companies — General Technology Limited (autoclave supplier to Pakistan), Beijing Luo Luo Technology Development, and Changzhou Utek Composite Company for its involvement in supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme.
