Indian security agencies have seized a ship bound for Karachi from China at Mumbai's Navasheva port. Officials said the ship aroused suspicion because it was suspected of carrying dual-use cargo that could be used for Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Acting on a tip-off, customs authorities on January 23 detained the Maltese-flagged merchant vessel CMA CGM Attila at Mumbai's Navasheva port. The shipment included computer numerical control (CNC) machinery manufactured by an Italian company. Controlled by computers, CNC machines offer unparalleled efficiency, consistency, and precision compared to manual methods.
After inspection by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the detained cargo was determined to have the potential to contribute to Pakistan's nuclear program. Experts have suggested that the equipment in question could help manufacture critical components for Pakistan's missile development initiatives.
Since 1996, computer numerical control (CNC) machinery has been subject to the Wassenaar Agreement, an international arms control regime focused on preventing the proliferation of equipment with dual-use capabilities. As one of the 42 parties to the agreement, India participates in the exchange of information on the transfer of both conventional arms and dual-use goods and technology.
It is worth noting that North Korea has previously utilized CNC machines in its nuclear program.
Acting on specific information, the port authorities immediately notified Indian defense authorities to conduct inspection of the bulk cargo. Upon inspection, the suspicions were confirmed and the shipment was seized. This action is consistent with efforts to prevent potential proliferation risks involving Pakistan and China.
The shipment's documents, including the bill of lading and other details, listed the shipper as „Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co., Ltd.“ and the consignee as Sialkot-based „Pakistan Wings Co., Ltd.“
Close scrutiny by security agencies revealed that the 22,180 kg shipment was shipped from Taiyuan Mining Import & Export Co., Ltd. and was destined for Pakistan's Cosmos Engineering. This incident is not the first time that Indian port authorities have intercepted military supplies being shipped from China to Pakistan.
Pakistani defense supplier Cosmos Engineering had previously come under intense scrutiny when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian thermoelectric equipment at Nhava Sheva port on March 12, 2022.
There are growing concerns that Pakistan is using China as a conduit to procure restricted items from Europe and the United States, while concealing its identity to avoid detection. Concerns about China's support for Pakistan's nuclear and missile programs are growing, as illustrated by the 2020 incident in which an industrial autoclave, essential for missile production, was disguised as industrial equipment on a Chinese ship bound for Pakistan.
An ongoing investigation is investigating whether the suspected entities in Pakistan that received these dual-use items are supplying them to the Defense Science and Technology Organization (DESTO), which is responsible for a critical part of Pakistan's defense research and development. We aim to confirm this.
The interception of the secret shipment has raised concerns about both Pakistan and China's commitment to international agreements. Despite the claims, these activities demonstrate persistent cooperation in potential proliferation and violate global agreements and regulations. There was a similar incident in February 2020, when China supplied autoclaves to Pakistan under the guise of „industrial dryers.“ The autoclave was seized from the Hong Kong-flagged Chinese ship Da Cuiyun while en route from Jiangyin Port in China's Jiangsu Province to Pakistan's Qasim Port.
The seizure of an autoclave intended for Pakistan's missile program has raised concerns about the country's involvement in the illicit missile trade and possible violations of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). In June 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) arrested three Chinese companies (General Technology Limited (an autoclave supplier to Pakistan), Beijing Luluo Technology Development, Sanctions were imposed on Changzhou Youde Composite Company. Pakistan's ballistic missile program.