India questions China over nuclear proliferation

After seizing a Chinese ship which carried nuclear-capable equipment to Pakistan, New Delhi has raised the issue of proliferation with Beijing.


In a media briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, that the Indian authorities had detained a Chinese vessel 'Da Cui Yan' when it berthed in Kandla Port in early February, as it had mis-declared the item that is was carrying.

The examination of the ship, he said, has ascertained that the item is an "autoclave" that is controlled under our "Dual Use Export Control" lists and has military applications.

As per Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) experts, the industrial autoclave seized from the Chinese ship Dai Cui Yun can be used for the manufacture of very long-range ballistic missiles or satellite launch rockets.

Kumar said the item has been seized by the Indian authorities as per the legal procedure. India, he said, has conveyed its concerns on this issue to China.

The spokesperson said that New Delhi had highlighted that as a friendly country, Beijing will take appropriate measures to ensure that the Chinese entities do not engage in activities that can contribute to proliferation. IANS