———- India’s missile proliferation racketeers smuggled numerous banned nuclear and missile materials, parts and equipment to Iran etc over the years in violation of US Department of Commerce’s Entity List
———- Illicit Indian procurement tactics found to be in utter violation of US Export Licensing legislation
———- India’s both versions of Agni-111 Missile system also found to be clear and constant threat to US national security with enabling the missiles to hit any target across the US
———- Iran’s KHORRAMSHAHAR-4 missiles that were fired targeting UK-US military base of Diego Garcia in March this year are suspected to have great technological similarities of target hitting range etc. to those of India’s covert range of Agni-III and K-4
———- Highly irresponsible state of nuclear security, safety as well as constantly occurring incident of Uranium and other radioactive substances like Californium etc. Thorium across India is another matter of prime concern for US and IAEA as India mocks global nonproliferation efforts
———- Nuclear Threat Initiative of Washington, places India’s “nuclear safety and security practices” at a lower ranking among 25 countries known to possess nukes-worthy of fissile materials
———- Constant theft of nuclear materials, uranium, Californium etc rings alarm bells for both the US and IAEA authorities. Unsafeguarded dual-use Indian nuclear facilities put global community on time bomb
From Sandra Johnson
(Additional inputs from Christina Palmer & Ajay Mehta in New Delhi & Kapil Verma & Priyanka Joshi in Mumbai and Leon Maximilian in Vienna)
New Delhi, that had earlier got two of its policy and decision level nuclear scientists placed under sanctions by Washington for nuclear proliferation is now facing another US probe into the nuclear and missile proliferation to some countries, especially to Iran as well as for its highly unprotected nuclear program and constant theft and smuggling of highly sensitive Radioactive substances like Uranium and Californium, reveal the investigations of The Daily Mail, Pakistan.
Well-placed and highly authoritative sources, on conditions of anonymity, reveal that a US team, comprising several specialists of their respective field, is reported to have found some solid clues about India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO)’s clear involvement in proliferating missile technology to Iran in continuous violation of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The MTCR is an informal and voluntary alliance of 34 countries established to prevent the proliferation of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of carrying a 500 kg payload for at least 300 km. These sources further say that the US team has reportedly also come up with preliminary findings brief, indicating that under India’s former, and hurriedly sacked boss of its Missile program at DRDO, Avinash Chander, DRDO was running the Agni-III Missile project in a very shady manner. The officially announced range of surface-to-surface version of the Agni-III was 3000 kilometers, while its actual range was found out to be over 5000 KMs US experts. The sea-to-surface version of Agni-III also called K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) was also much longer than the officially announced range of 3000 KMs. Launching the missile on the Indian nuclear submarines can stealthily carry K-4 closer to any distant target, thus enhancing its range manifold. In the nutshell, the both versions of Agni-III were capable of hitting any target inside the United States, a fact that was throughout concealed by the Indians, Incidentally, the Iranian KHORRAMHAHAR-4 also called Kheibar missiles that were fired targeting UK-US military base of Diego Garcia in March this year were suspected to have target hitting range and some other technical similarities with the Indian Agni-III system. It doesn’t seem a coincident that Diego Garcia distance from Tehran is around 5000 KMs, which is same as the actual concealed range of Agni-III. The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that these difficult to ignore developments, including the state of affairs at DRDO, have left the US government no options but to consider placing India under the relevant sanctions for its missile and nuclear proliferations. However, keeping in view the ongoing détente in the war with Iran and in wake of the upcoming US Midterm polls next month, it is likely that any further solid punitive action may not take place before December. The investigations into these matters and further evidence collection are, however, being conducted unabated.
The Daily Mail’s Investigations indicate that this is not the first time that India is facing fear of the US sanctions but it happened in the past as well and India made a narrow escape by creating some scapegoats. According to these Investigations, when the former US Secretary of State John Kerry, in 2004, was contesting for the post of US President against George Bush, he raised the issue of US failure to address the issue of nuclear and missile proliferation by India and the Nuclear Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), India’s State nuclear agency, made a narrow escape from be being blacklisted and sanctioned by the US State Department due to John Kerry’s highlighting of the issue to the maximum. It may be recalled that US State Department placed sanctions on two former Chairmen of NPCIL Dr.Y.S.R. Prasad and Dr.Surinder Chaudary under Nonproliferation Act 2000 through Public Notice No-4845, notified in the Federal Register as 69FR 58212 NOTICE on September 29, 2004. However, according to The Daily Mail findings, the original recommendation of the US Department of Energy and Non-proliferation Bureau of State Department was to sanction the NPCIL itself for there was convincing evidence that the two leading Indian Nuke scientists one of whom Prasad, also regarded as the real father of Indian nuclear weapon programme, were not acting in their individual capacity but were engaged in nuclear proliferation assistance to Iran at the behest of Indian government and agencies.
Unfortunately, as a result of ‘usual leaks’ in the US Administration, the Indian lobby at Washington D.C. forewarned the Indian government of the imminent sanctions and the Indo-Israeli caucus made frantic efforts to rescue India’s nuke programme from coming under threat. Being a US Presidential election year, the Indian NRI lobby was immediately mobilized. At the same time the Indian External Affairs Ministry approached the State Department, giving certain assurances to Washington, including offering attractive incentive of reconsidering US request for Indian troops to Iraq. Owing to gains being made by the Kerry campaign in the opinion polls based on his stance on Iraq, Iran and nuclear proliferation issues and targeting Bush’s Foreign Policy, the Bush Administration thought it best not to completely antagonize the Indian lobby in the US and opted to keep a low profile in this regard, accepting Delhi’s request of sanctioning its two individuals instead of imposing curbs on NPCIL. However, the State Department put NPCIL placed on internal strict watch list for any further proliferation activity and it remains under review.
The Daily Mail’s findings further reveal that the International Nuclear watch-dog the IAEA’s Director General also approached Indian Permanent Representative in Vienna, asking for further details of Proliferation activities of the Prasad –Chaudhary Network, particularly with reference to the investigations into the breach of NPT obligations and Safeguards Agreement by Tehran. The IAEA also informally requested for de-briefing sessions with Prasad and Chaudhary as well as other officials of NPCIL and Indian Nuclear Establishment. According to certain credible information, some of the IAEA officials had even hinted to the Indian Permanent Mission at Vienna that a non- cooperation by Delhi could make its way into the Director General’s Report to Agency’s Board of Governors for its meeting that was being convened at Vienna.
The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that sometime back, Indian nuclear and missile proliferation racketeers smuggled numerous banned nuclear and missile materials, parts and equipment in violation of US Department of Commerce’s Entity List. According to these investigations, the banned items were imported to South Africa through an Israeli intermediary Asher Karni by an Indian, identified as Rago Rao, acting on behalf Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), in Thiruvananthapuram, India.
The Daily Mail’s investigations further reveal that reveal that Rago Rao, asked his Israeli “business” associate, Karni to quote a price on a “12-inch ANSI 300 Mode180 Flexflo Regulator, FIN: 11351 NKA-120,” made by Grove Regulators of Elk Grove, IL. VSSC and several other Indian space and defense entities were placed on the Entity List by the US owing to proliferation concern. The Daily Mail’s research reveals that Rao told Karni in an email that “Owing to the fact that VSSC are still in the US embargo list, they believe that they may not be able to procure it directly (from) the supplier, hence have sent the enquiry to us to see if we can quote to them and supply from some other source.” In quoting Rao, Karni said, “be aware that the end user VSSC has been in direct touch with GROVE and have received already quotes from them, but they have quoted me too, and I will be able to execute the order.” After receiving a quote from Karni, Rao replied, “VSSC needs the item definitely, so if GROVE is willing to supply through you, they will not mind paying the extra price. That is why the end-user contacted us in the first place when he knew he could use our services through South Africa. So, if GROVE do not mind supplying the item to you, knowing that it is meant for VSSC, let us go ahead.” The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that the Rao – Karni Nuclear Missile Trafficking Nexus (RKNMTN) did not stop here but in fact, soon entered in the deal for transshipment of accelerometer made by Columbia Research Laboratories or Crossbow. In his email to Karni, Rao reminded him of an order he had placed for two accelerometers from Columbia Research Laboratories (Woodlyn, Pennsylvania), model SA-122 SE. The customer was Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of India, also on the Department of Commerce’s Entity List. Rao reminded Karni, “At the last moment, the supplier was refused an export license by US Government hence you could not supply the item and the order was cancelled.” Rao then asked Karni to quote “Model CXL 01LF1Z High Stability LF series Accelerometer,” made by Crossbow of San Jose, California. Karni replied that he would quote the item, though it might not meet the specifications of the previous item. He said, “I can also approach Columbia for a quote and see they may not want an export license this time.” Rao replied, “Be careful to avoid any reference to the customer name Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, because any supply to their organization requires an export license at the moment, and it may be denied.” He said, “There is a danger that Columbia may be denied the export license once again, since this model of accelerometer falls in the commodity list (because of its very high sensitivity and threshold value, and inherent possibility of being used in guidance systems for missiles.) That requires an export clearance from the US authorities for any country, leave alone India. I leave it to you to judge the best way out.” Again the accelerometers were exported from US to South Africa and transshipped to India for use in India’s WMD program.
It is pertinent to mention here that these illicit Indian procurement tactics in violation of US Export Licensing legislation make a mockery of the claims by the Indian Caucus Congressmen and White House’s claims that India was a responsible nuclear- missile possessor country, which could be trusted. The game actually did not end here. The Daily Mail’s further investigations into the matter make some more shocking revelations. These investigations unearth that India imported beryllium, used for constructing nuclear bombs from Germany not long ago. The Hanau-based Degussa Company is suspected of having exported 95 kg to India. The US, which, now wants the Nuclear Suppliers Group to approve its nuclear deal with India, had strongly protested to the Germans over this deal.
The delivery, according to German nuclear researcher Gerhard Locke, was `most suspicious’ and delivered to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Trombay, north of Bombay after series of transshipments and change of end users.
According to The Daily Mail’s investigations, International safeguard controls have no access to information regarding the amount of plutonium used for making nuclear bomb produced from the nuclear reactors in Trombay. What is certain is that the material for India’s first nuclear explosion in 1974 was provided by Trombay. The investigations further reveal that as back as in April 2016, Indian police’s Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) accidently intercepted a racket of nuclear material smugglers.
In 2025, when India earned enormous shame after eating dust in its so military offensive against Pakistan, tiled “Operation Sindoor”, Indian leaders started seriously considering adopting desperate measures including the use of non-conventional tactical weapons, under the pressure by fanatic Hindutva groups led by RSS under the Sangh Parivar umbrella organization. Serious concerns at this stage were felt among international pacific anti-nuclear community about Indian nukes being in safe hands or with the extremist Hindutva politicians and zealots. Alarm bells were raised globally and with seriousness of purpose especially in Washington and Vienna, IAEA’s headquarters. This again led to a serious US probe into the dozens of incidents of the theft of nuclear related materials and substances including Uranium, radioactive Californium etc. and the situation was seen as serious global threat to international safety and security.
It was found that in the latest major incident of this kind, Indian state of Rajasthan Police’s ATS squad, on a tip-off about some suspicious individuals, carrying some dubious movement, intercepted a 6-member gang, suspecting them of belonging to one of the mushrooming homegrown terrorist outfits. However, during the preliminary investigations and search process, the Rajasthan ATS found around 31 tons of Beryl, an atomic mineral ore of Beryllium which is under Export Control for nuclear proliferation concerns. Beryl is the most common ore of Beryllium, the lightest member of the alkaline earth metals family that is known to have six radioactive isotopes. These investigations indicate that India, as a party to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its 2005 Amendment, is duty-bound to prevent the smuggling of atomic minerals of all kinds.
Since ATS Rajasthan was not familiar with the material they recovered from arrested suspects, the arrested suspects kept fooling the police investigators by saying that they were carrying some material to brew some new brand of country wine. However, after the intervention of a senior police officer into the matter and that too after many days of recovery, the sample of the recovered material was sent to the minerals department which reported the matter to the related authorities after realizing that it was a material of nuclear proliferation concern. Until then, it just remained a patty matter at the level of state police who were furious of not being able to make an arrest of some high profile terrorists and instead ended up with some ‘useless’ material.
The Daily Mail’s investigations further indicate that this was not the first incident of nuclear material theft and smuggling in India; the practice has continued for decades. Incidents include the theft of nuclear materials in Bihar, where police arrested three individuals for illegal possession of 50 grams of radioactive Californium worth INR 8.5 billion (over $100 million). In Maharashtra, two men were arrested for possessing 7.1 kg of natural uranium worth $2.8 million. Kolkata police recovered 250 kg of a highly radioactive and toxic uranium variant; worth $573 million from two individuals at an Indian strategic organization, and also arrested a uranium smuggling racket attempting to sell 1 kg of radioactive material valued at $440,000. Additional cases include the seizure of nearly 9 kg of depleted uranium in Thane, Mumbai; the arrest of three people by Mumbai Crime Branch for illegal possession of 5 kg of depleted uranium; the poisoning of dozens of colleagues by an employee at a nuclear reactor in southwestern India using radioactive isotopes in 2008; the recovery of 4 kg of uranium in Supaul district along the Indo-Nepal border; the theft of an entire truck container packed with radioactive material from a fortified research facility in eastern India; and the capture of terror outfit members in a village on the India-Bangladesh border with 225 grams of milled uranium.
Notably, only one of these incidents involved an organized police operation; the rest were either blind or coincidental police matters, with no dedicated operation aimed at preventing Uranium thefts or recovering stolen radioactive materials. The sole incident involving an Indian intelligence agency was, in fact, a counterterrorism mission with no plans or intentions of recovering nuclear material. This suggests that the Indian government has either never given serious consideration to the highly sensitive issue of nuclear thefts or has deliberately turned a blind eye to the menace and may even have been patronizing it.
With this state of affairs of India’s nuclear and missile proliferation and the continued handling of highly sensitive matter related to the radioactive fissile materials by the ordinary local cops, there could be a strong US action. Meanwhile the investigations are also reported to be going on internationally. The Daily Mail’s Investigations on the matter and into the shady state of affairs at DRDO are ongoing and further Special Investigative reports would be published in due course of time.
