Indian Security Agencies Intercept Ship from China Suspected of Aiding Pakistan’s Nuclear Program

Indian security agencies intercepted a Karachi-bound ship from China at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva port, suspecting a dual-use consignment that could support Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. The Malta-flagged merchant ship, CMA CGM Attila, was stopped on January 23, and the consignment, featuring a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine manufactured by an Italian company, was thoroughly inspected. CNC machines, covered by international arms control regimes like the Wassenaar Arrangement, can have both civilian and military applications.

A team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) examined the consignment and verified its potential use in Pakistan’s nuclear program. The shipment, originating from China, was detailed to be consigned by “Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd” to “Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd” in Sialkot. However, further investigation revealed that the 22,180-kilogram consignment was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd, intended for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan.

Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defense supplier, has been under scrutiny since March 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments at the Nhava Sheva port. Concerns have been raised over potential Chinese support for Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programs, with worries about Pakistan using China as a conduit to obtain restricted items from Europe and the US. The ongoing investigation aims to determine if the suspected Pakistani entities receiving dual-use items are supplying them to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), responsible for much of Pakistan’s defense research and development.