India worried as Pakistan had helped North Korea

New Delhi: Reacting strongly to reports of North Korea conducting a nuclear test, India on Wednesday said it was a matter of “deep concern” and stressed its worry over proliferation links between North East Asia and its neighbourhood, an apparent reference to Pakistan.

India also called upon DPRK (North Korea) to refrain from such actions.

Clandestine nuclear commerce between North Korea and Pakistan are well-known, with reports for the past several years that Pakistan had illegally exported nuclear technology to North Korea while North Korea had, in turn, exported missile technology to Pakistan. Both the countries also have deep links with China.

Concerns loom large, India wary

“We have seen reports that DPRK has conducted a nuclear test today. We are assessing the available information, including claims that this was a thermonuclear test.

“It is a matter of deep concern that DPRK has again acted in violation of its international commitments in this regard. We call upon DPRK to refrain from such actions which adversely impact on peace and stability in the region.

“Our concerns about proliferation links between North East Asia and our neighbourhood are well-known,” MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup was quoted by news agencies as saying.

According to the reports, North Korea obtained “many of the designs for gas centrifuges and much of the machinery” required to make highly-enriched uranium for nuclear weapons from Pakistan, which in return got ballistic-missile parts from North Korea.