Sharing the objective of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism to deny terrorists access to nuclear materials and enhance international cooperation to prevent nuclear terrorism, India announced its acceptance of this measure. This new initiative originally proposed by Russia makes it easy to prosecute and punish perpetrators was adopted by the UN General Assembly on April 13, 2005 and open for signature from September 14, 2005. By accepting this Convention, India has to strengthen its laws to make such acts punishable as serious offences.

In a note, the External Affairs Ministry issued a statement revealing that India has adopted this Convention. It said that India “is already a party to the other 12 international terrorism conventions and protocols” as it “attaches high priority to the formulation of international legal instruments to combat terrorism.” Member states are required to cooperate in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of these offences through information sharing, extradition and mutual legal assistance. India believes that

Terrorism presents the most serious threat to peace and security.”

Supporting the initiatives India said that it “has always emphasised that the international community must adopt an approach of zero-tolerance for terrorism anywhere and be ready to undertake all necessary measures to bring to justice the perpetrators, organisers, sponsors of these and other terrorist acts and those who incite terrorists to commit them.”