Agenda Item 6: Nuclear Security
International Atomic Energy Agency
Board of Governors’ Meetings
(September, 2020)
Agenda Item 6:
Nuclear Security
Statement by the Governor for India
Ambassador Jaideep Mazumdar
Madam Chair
While associating ourselves with the Statement delivered by the distinguished Ambassador of The Philippines on behalf of G-77 and China and would like to add the following additional remarks in our national capacity.
Madam Chair
The threat of nuclear terrorism is one of the most pressing challenges facing the global nuclear community. While nuclear security is the domain of national sovereignty, this national prerogative demands national responsibility. All States must assume this responsibility and should abide by their respective international obligations to prevent the use of nuclear terrorism by non-state actors. We appreciate and strongly support the Agency in its functions to achieve nuclear security.
India accords high national priority to nuclear security through its strong institutional framework, independent regulatory agency, trained and specialized human resources, and through development and deployment of technology to deter and defend against nuclear terrorism.
The Nuclear Security Report this year underlines the Agency’s central role in strengthening the global nuclear security framework, by continued implementation of activities under the Nuclear Security plan 2018-2021, assisting member states to enhance their nuclear security regimes, developing comprehensive nuclear security guidance, physical protection upgrades and promoting adherence & implementation of international legal instruments through effective international cooperation, setting goals and priorities and forging technical and policy guidance. We appreciate the efforts of the Agency to achieve the objectives despite the impediments brought about by COVID-19.
Madam Chair
In the age of automation and remote monitoring, cyber and computer security threats pose new challenges. We encourage the Agency to continue complementing the efforts of Member States in handling these threats through cyber security exercises and computer security and information technology services.
Madam Chair
Physical protection against unauthorized removal of nuclear material during use, storage and transport and against the sabotage of nuclear material and nuclear facilities has long been a matter of national and international concern. We appreciate the Agency’s continued assistance to member states with physical protection upgrades.
Like others who have spoken before us, we believe that universal adherence to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and entry into force of its amendment would go a long way in strengthening global efforts in the area of nuclear security. We note with appreciation the steps taken by the Agency to encourage and promote adherence to the amendment to the CPPNM among various States. We urge all those member states that have not yet joined or ratified the CPPNM and its Amendment to do so at the earliest.
Madam Chair
We recognise the importance of skill development relevant to the nuclear sector. We note with appreciation the Agency’s efforts in developing nuclear security expertise through training, and education under the International Security Education Network (INSEN) which assists the member institutions and States in establishing and enhancing educational programmes on nuclear security based on international guidance and recommendations. We further appreciate the progress in establishing the specialized training facility for the demonstration of equipment and technologies related to nuclear security at Seibersdorf, Austria. We also welcome the Agency's initiative on promotion of workforce diversity including gender equality and geographical diversity in nuclear security related activities.
Nuclear training courses conducted by the Agency cover a wide variety of topics. We hope that the training material developed by the agency would provide guidance to States and their competent authorities to further develop and enhance nuclear security. The Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP), established by India in 2010, has been steadily strengthening its portfolio of programmes and has been conducting several international and regional programmes in cooperation with IAEA, covering important and emerging nuclear security topics like insider threat, vulnerability assessment, transportation security, cyber security, detection, prevention and response to radiological threats etc. India looks forward to a stronger partnership between the IAEA and GCNEP, in the field of Nuclear Security.
Madam Chair
With these comments, my delegation takes note of the Nuclear Security Report 2020 as contained in the document GOV /2020/31 -GC (64)/6*.
Thank You, Madam Chair
