New Delhi
July 25, 2006 

India signed the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, 2005 on 24th July 2006 at the UN Headquarters in New York. 

2. This Convention, initially proposed by the Russian Federation, was adopted by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on 13/4/05 by a consensus resolution and was opened for signature at the UN Headquarters from 14th September 2005. The Convention is the first anti-terrorism convention adopted since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Convention requires States to make punishable as serious offence under their domestic law, terrorist acts involving the use of nuclear materials. States are also required to cooperate in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of these offences through information sharing, extradition and mutual legal assistance. 

3. India is already a Party to the other 12 international terrorism conventions and protocols and attaches high priority to the formulation of international legal instruments to combat terrorism. Terrorism presents the most serious threat to peace and security. India has always emphasized 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, organizers, sponsors of these and other terrorist acts and those who incite terrorists to commit them. 

4. This Convention is an important step forward in multilateral efforts to strengthen the international legal framework against terrorism and sends an undeniably clear signal that the international community will not tolerate those that threaten or commit terrorist acts involving radioactive material or nuclear devices. India shares the objective of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, which demonstrates the resolve of the international community to deny terrorists access to nuclear materials and enhances international cooperation between states in devising and adopting practical measures for prevention of acts of nuclear terrorism and for the prosecution and punishment of their perpetrators.