Threats of Nuclear Terrorism in India: A Case Study of Naxalites

Abstract

The threat of nuclear terrorism is as old as the existence of nuclear weapons on the face of the earth. Nonetheless, this earned popularity in the 1980s when the international community was aware of the attempts made by terrorist organizations to acquire this lethal technology for destructive purposes. As of today, not a single act of nuclear terrorism has been marked. But the motivation and attempts to acquire one of the radioactive materials are on the board. Out of all these efforts made by terrorists or individuals, there is a significant portion of illicit activities which happened in India. Being one of the largest states in the region, India seems more vulnerable to the threats of nuclear terrorism as compared to any other nuclear-weapon state. It is because of the threats and challenges posed by the separatists or terrorist organizations prevalent in India. The presence of Nuclear facilities in areas inhibiting separatists and terrorist movements is not only alarming for India but the whole world. In this context, this research would look into the threats of nuclear terrorism posed by the Naxalites in India.