Saturday, March 2, 2024

Karachi-bound ship from China stopped at Mumbai port by security agencies after intelligence tip off over suspected nuclear cargo

Security agencies had stopped a ship bound for Karachi from China at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva port in January. They suspected the ship might be carrying items for Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme.






snap: 'India Today'/PTI


Security agencies intercepted a Karachi-bound ship from China at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva port in January, suspecting it of containing a consignment that could be used for Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme, officials told news agency PTI on Saturday.


Acting on intelligence input, customs officials halted the Malta-flagged merchant ship, CMA CGM Attila, en route to Karachi on January 23.


According to PTI, officials said that a team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) examined the consignment, which included a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, and confirmed its potential use in Pakistan's nuclear program.  


CNC machines are governed by the Wassenaar Arrangement, an international agreement aiming to control the spread of items with both civilian and military uses, with India actively involved. Notably, North Korea used a CNC machine in its nuclear program.



Further investigations revealed discrepancies in shipping details, suggesting attempts to hide the true recipients. 



This incident is part of a pattern of seizures of dual-use military-grade items being shipped from China to Pakistan, sparking concerns about illicit procurement activities.



The ongoing investigation seeks to determine if the suspected Pakistani recipients of these items are connected to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), responsible for Pakistan's defense research and development.


PROBE ON TO DETERMINE DETAILS OF SHIPMENT

According to the report, officials said, documents like bills of loading indicated that the sender was "Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd" and the receiver was "Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd" in Sialkot.  



However, upon further investigation, security agencies found that the 22,180-kilogram consignment was actually sent by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and was intended for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan.



This isn't the first time Indian port officials have seized such dual-use military-grade items being transported from China to Pakistan. Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defence supplier, has been under scrutiny since March 12, 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments at the Nhava Sheva port.













Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner (L) are among those attending the pre-wedding celebration hosted by billionaire Mukesh Ambani (AFP snap) 



Top global celebrities will don “jungle fever” outfits in India for a trip to the zoo on Saturday, March 2, as part of a party thrown by Asia’s richest man.


Pop icon Rihanna, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka are among the rich and famous guests who jetted in for a three-day gala celebration hosted by billionaire tycoon Mukesh Ambani.


This weekend’s party is an elaborate pre-wedding ceremony for younger son Anant and fiancee Radhika Merchant, the daughter of wealthy pharmaceutical moguls.   


The three-day gala — which saw “Umbrella” singer Rihanna perform on Friday for the first time since last year’s Superbowl — will continue on Saturday with a trip to an “animal rescue centre” housing exotic animals.


The facility is a pet project of Anant’s, built in his family’s hometown Jamnagar in western Gujarat state, where the weekend party is taking place.



Indian media reports said the family will on Saturday host a “Walk on the Wildside”, an event held outdoors in the Ambani’s animal rescue centre.


“Jungle fever” is the suggested dress code, and guests have been advised to wear comfortable shoes and clothing, reports said.


In the evening, reports added, guests will ditch their safari-themed outfits for more elegant wear for an evening party celebrating Indian culture.



Mukesh Ambani, 66, is chairman of Reliance Industries — India’s biggest company by market capitalisation — and the world’s 10th-richest person, according to the Forbes billionaires list, worth more than $116 billion.



He inherited a thriving industrial enterprise spanning oil, gas, and petrochemicals from his father and grew it into a commercial behemoth with lucrative interests in retail, telecommunications, and an Indian Premier League cricket team.

Reliance’s partnerships with storied fashion brands such as Burberry, Armani, and Jimmy Choo have helped the conglomerate cater to the growing appetite for luxury goods among India’s middle class.


Ambani’s family home — a 27-floor skyscraper dubbed Antilia that reportedly cost more than $1 billion to build and has a permanent staff of 600 servants — is one of Mumbai’s most prominent landmarks.



It was criticised after its 2010 completion by author Arundhati Roy and others for starkly illustrating the wide gulf between India’s business elite and its poor multitudes.

Ambani held the most expensive wedding in India to date for his daughter in 2018, which reportedly cost $100 million and saw US pop megastar Beyonce perform.


Younger son Anant, 28 — who also serves as a director on the boards of several Reliance-owned firms — is expected to marry Merchant, 29, later this year.


This time around, the guest list includes Disney chief Bob Iger, following a deal agreed on Wednesday between Reliance Industries and Walt Disney to merge their Indian media businesses.

The merger will create an $8.5 billion entertainment giant in the world’s most populous nation and fifth-largest economy.


Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni, and industry titan Gautam Adani are also invited in a who’s-who of India’s super-rich.


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