Spectre of nuclear terrorism a formidable challenge: PM

Maintaining that the spectre of nuclear terrorism is a formidable challenge, prime minister Manmohan Singh today supported strengthening of global efforts in improving nuclear security and welcomed President Barack Obama's initiative to hold a summit on nuclear security next year.

India, he said, has an updated, effective and comprehensive export controls system and is "committed to not transferring sensitive technologies and equipment to other countries that do not possess them."

Holding that India has been sponsoring a resolution at the UN General Assembly calling for measures to address the nuclear terrorism threat, he said, "We support strengthening the international efforts in improving nuclear security and in this context, welcome President Obama's timely initiative to hold a global Summit on Nuclear Security in 2010."

Inaugurating the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, he said, "India is proud of non-proliferation record and is committed to global efforts for preventing the proliferation of all weapons of mass destruction.

"We are committed to a voluntary, unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing. As a nuclear weapon state and a responsible member of the international community, we will participate constructively in the negotiation of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) in the Conference on Disarmament," he said.

Singh said global non-proliferation regime has not succeeded in preventing nuclear proliferation and its deficiencies have had an adverse impact on India's security. 

"Global non-proliferation, to be successful, should be universal, comprehensive and non-discriminatory and linked to the global of complete nuclear disarmament," he said, pointing out that there was growing international acceptance for this viewpoint.

Singh said, "It is a matter of regret that the global non-proliferation regime has not succeeded in preventing nuclear proliferation. Its deficiencies, in fact, have had an adverse impact on our security."

"We are committed to a voluntary, universal, unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing," he told the top scientists from across the world attending the conference.

IAEA director general Mohammad El Baradei, National Security Adviser (NSA) MK Narayanan and foreign secretary Nirupama Rao were among the other participants at the conference which has been organised as part of the year-long programme to mark the birth centenary of Homi Jehangir Bhabha, founder of India's nuclear programme. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee released a commemorative coin on the occasion.