Cargo seized from Pakistan-bound ship can be used for military purposes: DRDO report
Governed by the Wassenaar Arrangement—an international agreement aimed at controlling the proliferation of items for both civilian and military uses—the transport of CNC machines is strictly regulated, with India actively participating in the agreement.
FollowThe Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Monday (March 5) submitted its official report regarding the suspicious items seized from a China-bound ship intended for possible use in Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. The items were seized at Nhava Seva port in Navi Mumbai. DRDO experts have confirmed that the seized large-size Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines possess dual-use capabilities and could be utilized for military applications.
The interception of the Karachi-bound ship, CMA CGM Attila, took place on January 23, as customs officials, acting on intelligence inputs, detained the vessel en route to Pakistan. The suspicions arose due to the belief that the consignment on board could be linked to Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile program.
Upon examination by a DRDO team, the CNC machine within the consignment was identified as having potential applications in Pakistan's nuclear program.
Governed by the Wassenaar Arrangement—an international agreement aimed at controlling the proliferation of items for both civilian and military uses—the transport of CNC machines is strictly regulated, with India actively participating in the agreement.
The discovery of discrepancies in shipping details raised concerns about potential attempts to conceal the true recipients of the items.
This incident is part of a larger trend involving the interception of dual-use military-grade items being shipped from China to Pakistan, leading to heightened apprehensions regarding illicit procurement activities. In response, Pakistan has said that the seized ship was carrying "commercial goods" and criticized the reports for alleged misrepresentation of facts.
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