New Delhi, Feb 18: Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta on Wednesday warned that there was a possibility of anti-India elements smuggling nuclear weapons into the country via sea route, and called for augmented safety measures at ports.
Speaking to reporters, the Navy Chief talked about low-end or low-intensity maritime threat under which nuclear weapons could be smuggled into India in cargo containers. Admiral Mehta further said that security system was missing at ports for containers, and stressed on the need to screen all containers that enter the country.
"Container is the most likely means for the terrorist organisations for illegal transporting of nuclear weapons. Hence, the serious concerns about container security," he told reporters at a seminar on "Port Sector - Developments and Security".
He said the country from where a container leaves should issue safety certificates. "Countries should certify that whichever container leaves the port is safe," Admiral Mehta added. Talking about greater synergy amongst the Navy, Coast Guard and port authorities, the Navy Chief disclosed that control rooms would be set up in the Eastern and Western Naval Command. "These (control rooms) are the measures we propose for greater coordination that a joint operation centre functions from Eastern and Western Command... We will have a composite control over maritime assets," Admiral Mehta said.
The control rooms will coordinate among Eastern Command Chief, Western Command Chief and Director General Coast Guard. "It should be the integral part of country's security system," said Mehta.
The Navy Chief’s warning comes in the wake of November 26 Mumbai terror attacks, which were carried out by terrorists who entered the country’s financial capital from Karachi in Pakistan via sea route.
The 10 terrorists, nine of whom were killed by Indian security forces and one was captured alive, sailed from Karachi in a Pakistani vessel and hijacked Kuber, an Indian boat en route Mumbai.
The route taken by the Mumbai attackers exposed loopholes in India’s coastal security and the Central government has since then prioritised it. It has even announced plans to set up a coastal command.
The Navy Chief’s warning also comes at a time when al Qaeda has warned India against attacking Pakistan, and the neighbouring Islamic country’s move to impose Shariat law in large parts of its restive northwest, including the Swat Valley, in a bid to buy peace with the Taliban extremists.
The ‘peace deal’ has brought Taliban, who came into being in Afghanistan and are now present in “huge amounts” in Pakistan – in the words of President Asif Ali Zardari – more closer to India than ever before.
Following the Pak-Taliban deal, intelligence sources have revealed that the Taliban may target western cultural centres in India. The possibility of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons falling into the hands of extremists – belonging either to the Taliban or al Qaeda – also cannot be ruled out considering the volatile political and security situation in the neighbouring country.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the Cabinet on Wednesday okayed integrating maritime security, under which there will be enhanced information sharing between the Navy and the Coast Guard.
