India seeks probe into North Korea nuclear ties

No direct reference made on involvement of Pakistan

Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, center, answers a reporter's question during a press conference at the conclusion of the BRICS Summit in Xiamen in southeastern China's Fujian Province, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. India's foreign secretary says the leaders of China and India have emphasized that peace and tranquility in their border areas is a "prerequisite" for the further development of their relationship. At left is Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar and Vijay Gokhale, the Indian ambassador to China is at right. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

India on Tuesday sought a probe into North Korea’s nuclear proliferation linkages, and demanded that those responsible for it should be held accountable, in a veiled reference to Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s remarks came after North Korea had fired another mid-range ballistic missile over Japan on Friday. It follows North Korea’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3 which was in direct defiance of the United Nations sanctions and other international pressure.

“External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj deplored North Korea’s recent actions, and stated that its proliferation linkages must be explored and those involved must be held accountable,” the Ministry’s spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar, told presspersons at a news conference here.

Ms. Swaraj’s remarks came as she met U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and her Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly session here.

Clandestine help

Though there was no direct reference to Pakistan in her remarks, it came amid reports that Pyongyang had clandestinely received nuclear enrichment technology from Pakistan when AQ Khan was at the helm of Islamabad’s nuclear programme.

To questions, Mr. Kumar did not specify the country but said the hints were enough to determine that.