India, which is rapidly expanding its atomic power programme, said Saturday that nuclear terrorism is a “continuing concern” ahead of a summit on atomic safety to be held next week in Seoul. The summit will focus on the threat from nuclear-armed terrorists and follows one in Washington convened by US President Barack Obama in 2010 on the same subject. Nuclear terrorism “remains a continuing concern”, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said as he left for the two-day summit which opens on Monday in the South Korean capital. Coal-dependent India is one of the few countries in the world that is seeking to increase its nuclear energy quickly as it aims to overcome a peak overall power shortage of around 12 percent.
“I will highlight the high priority we attach to nuclear security, safety and non-proliferation” at the summit, Singh said in a statement, adding it was vital to reassure the public about safety measures. Singh, who will be among leaders or senior officials from 53 nations attending the meeting, said the summit has become “even more important” after the devastating Fukushima accident in Japan last year. India has been caught in the backlash against atomic power caused by the tsunami-led meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
