ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to investigate what it described as a “nuclear black market” in India, citing repeated incidents of theft and illicit trafficking of radioactive materials. The demand came as Islamabad firmly rejected a proposal by India’s Defence Minister for the IAEA to place Pakistan’s nuclear programme under international monitoring.
Highlighting a series of security breaches and thefts involving radioactive substances in India, Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a strong statement:
“Pakistan urges a thorough investigation of these incidents and calls upon India to ensure the safety and security of its nuclear facilities and arsenal.”
The statement underscored Pakistan’s concerns, arguing that “if anything, the IAEA and the international community should be alarmed by the persistent theft and illegal trade involving nuclear and radioactive materials within India.”
The response was triggered by remarks made by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during an address to troops in Srinagar, where he asserted: “I believe that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons should be taken under the supervision of the IAEA.”
His comments followed a recent de-escalation of military tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours after the Pahalgam attack, which India blamed on Pakistan-based militants. The flare-up prompted international concerns over the risk of a nuclear confrontation.
In a separate post-ceasefire statement, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared: “India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. India will strike precisely and decisively at terrorist hideouts operating under the guise of nuclear blackmail.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Office dismissed Singh’s remarks, describing them as a reflection of “profound insecurity and frustration over Pakistan’s credible conventional and nuclear deterrence.” It added, “Pakistan’s conventional military capabilities are sufficient to deter Indian aggression, without resorting to the so-called ‘nuclear blackmail’ that India accuses others of.”
Islamabad also criticized the Indian minister’s understanding of the IAEA’s role, noting that “his comments are ignorant of the agency’s mandate, which is to verify the peaceful use of nuclear programmes — not strategic arsenals, which remain outside IAEA safeguards.” India’s civilian nuclear facilities are monitored under a 2008 agreement, but its strategic weapons programme is not.
Citing specific security lapses, Pakistan pointed to the 2023 arrest of five individuals in Dehradun in possession of a radioactive device allegedly stolen from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. It also referenced a criminal gang caught with Californium — a highly radioactive element with an estimated value exceeding $100 million — as well as three additional Californium thefts reported in 2021.
“These recurring incidents raise serious concerns about New Delhi’s ability to secure its nuclear and radioactive materials,” the Foreign Office said. “They point to the possible existence of a black market for sensitive, dual-use materials in India.”
While recent tensions have cooled, the sharp rhetoric, coupled with India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, has pushed South Asia’s rival nuclear powers into yet another extended diplomatic impasse.
