Executive Summary

Nuclear security concerns have intensified since the end of the Cold War, but these became particularly acute after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, as Washington grew concerned about the ability of terrorist groups to obtain nuclear and other radioactive materials. Indeed, the nuclear threat is no longer mere fodder for fiction. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), between 1993 and 2023, there were 4,243 incidents of illegal or unauthorised activities involving nuclear and radioactive materials. 

Yet, while the world more seriously regarded the nuclear threat in the context of terrorism only after 9/11, India has had such awareness for far longer. For India, the spectre of nuclear terrorism is magnified by Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and its deep linkages to terrorist organisations. This report identifies and evaluates these nuclear terrorism threats based on India’s counterterrorism experience in the past three decades.

The India-Pakistan relationship is complex and carries enormous historical baggage, fuelling a volatile regional security environment. For India, its nuclear threat perception encompasses a number of plausible scenarios: Pakistan’s direct involvement in nuclear terrorism; internal security breaches; and the theft of nuclear materials. While the likelihood of domestic violent non-state actors acquiring nuclear weapons is low, the risks of “dirty bombs” or cyberattacks on nuclear facilities are significant. 

Given India’s unstable neighbourhood, including beyond Pakistan to the larger South Asian region, India has had to remain vigilant to multiple threats to its nuclear infrastructure. Based on the IAEA’s broad principles on nuclear security, India has adopted a risk-reduction strategy involving legal, intelligence, diplomatic, and operational measures. Given the evolving nature of threats, however, this report recommends additional safeguards, such as advanced threat detection, robust security audits, comprehensive trainings, and advanced cybersecurity measures.

Read the report here.

• Terrorism
• Nuclear Security
• India
• Pakistan
• 9/11 attacks
• IAEA
• India
• nuclear governance
• Nuclear Policy
• Nuclear Security
• nuclear terrorism
• Pakistan
• radioactive materials
• Threats on India

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