a ship carrying nuclear material from China headed for Pakistan was intercepted

It was discovered that a ship from China headed for Karachi was seized in Mumbai and may have contained a nuclear cargo. The same, which contained a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, was assessed by a team from the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), who verified its possible application in Pakistan’s nuclear program.

On January 23, Indian customs officers stopped the commercial ship CMA CGM Attila, which was sailing to Karachi and flying the flag of Malta, in response to a tip. Due to allegations that it carried a shipment that would be utilized for Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the ship was held back at the port of Nhava Sheva in Mumbai.

The Wassenaar Arrangement, an international agreement with India as a key participant, aims to regulate the spread of products having both civilian and military purposes. It governs CNC machines like the one aboard the commercial vessel. Notably, North Korea’s nuclear program made use of a CNC machine.

Subsequent inquiries conducted by Indian authorities revealed disparities in the shipping information, indicating efforts to conceal the

actual beneficiaries. This instance fits with a trend of dual-use military-grade goods being seized and transferred from China to Pakistan, raising questions about possible illegal acquisition.

The purpose of the current inquiry is to ascertain if the individuals who are believed to have received these products from Pakistan are associated with the Defence Science and Technology Organization (DESTO), which is in charge of Pakistan’s defense R&D.

According to Indian authorities, bills of lading showed that Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd in Sialkot was the recipient and “Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd” in China was the sender.

Nevertheless, further examination by Indian security officials revealed that Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd was the true sender of the 22,180-kg shipment, with Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan being the intended recipient.

Such dual-use military-grade goods have already been intercepted by Indian port authorities while being smuggled from China to Pakistan. The Pakistani defense supplier Cosmos Engineering has been under investigation since March 12, 2022, when Indian police seized a shipment of thermoelectric instruments built in Italy at the port of Nhava Sheva.