pmaitra
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Karnataka home to second covert nuke site, drone testing: report
Image provided by IHS Jane's appears to show a potential uranium enrichment site at Mysore's Indian Rare Metals Plant. Karnataka appeared to be a site of hectic activity for India's covert uranium enrichment programme as well as a secret testing ground for armed drones, according to satellite photographs and other evidence compiled by a U.S. think-tank. Photo: Special Arrangement
[HR][/HR]
India should be ready to impose trade embargo on any country that tries to act using the justification drawn from the NPT. IF sanctions do come through, India will have the opportunity to perform another rounds of nuclear tests, that are badly needed. Hopefully, there are newer, and more sophisticated designs ready for testing at a few months' notice.
Image provided by IHS Jane's appears to show a potential uranium enrichment site at Mysore's Indian Rare Metals Plant. Karnataka appeared to be a site of hectic activity for India's covert uranium enrichment programme as well as a secret testing ground for armed drones, according to satellite photographs and other evidence compiled by a U.S. think-tank. Photo: Special Arrangement
Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security suggests that India appeared to have followed through on its publicly announced intention to build the SMEF and started constructing a large enrichment centrifuge complex near Chitradurga, Karnataka.
On June 20, 2014 IHS Jane's revealed that India was possibly extending Mysore's Indian Rare Metals Plant into clandestine production of uranium hexafluoride that could theoretically be channelled towards the manufacture of hydrogen bombs.
Within this walled-off tract, 1,410 acres in Ullarthi Kaval and 400 acres in Khudapura were allocated to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for the purpose of developing the SMEF, the ISIS said, adding that a further 4,000 acres in Varavu Kaval and 290 acres in Khudapura were allocated to the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the purpose of developing and testing "long-endurance (48-72 hours) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles."
So far as the drone programme was concerned, the April 17, 2014 Airbus commercial satellite imagery appeared to show two areas isolated with 10 km and 5 km walls, as well as a 3.5 km runway and a secondary runway that was "clearly visible" south of this area, believed to be in DRDO's test centre for long-endurance UAVs and UCAVs.
The report's authors, David Albright and Serena Kelleher-Vergantini, said that the new facility "will significantly increase India's ability to produce enriched uranium for both civil and military purposes, including nuclear weapons", urging India to therefore announce that the SMEF would be subject to International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, committed only to peaceful uses.
The report also warned that India "has allegedly pursued illegal means to outfit the RMP and is likely to attempt to do so for this new enrichment plant", and thus alerted other governments and suppliers of nuclear-related dual use goods to the need for vigilance "to prevent efforts by Indian trading and manufacturing companies to acquire such goods", for either plant.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...-site-drone-testing-report/article6168832.eceYet according to the ISIS India as a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty faces the risk of trade bans from, for example, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which may have concerns about the suitability of Indian nuclear entities as to receive nuclear imports regardless of the U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement's separation between military and civil nuclear programmes.
[HR][/HR]
India should be ready to impose trade embargo on any country that tries to act using the justification drawn from the NPT. IF sanctions do come through, India will have the opportunity to perform another rounds of nuclear tests, that are badly needed. Hopefully, there are newer, and more sophisticated designs ready for testing at a few months' notice.