Washington: A Washington-based
think-tank on Thursday claimed that India is expanding its military
nuclear site near Mysore.
In a statement released on the eve of crucial Indo-US
Strategic Dialogue the Institute for Science and International
Security (ISIS) said Google Earth imagery showed initial
excavations and construction of a large building or buildings
at the Rare Materials Plant (RMP) site in Karnataka.
"While the construction is in its early stages in this
image, the size of the building or buildings to be constructed
indicates that these will be large industrial buildings," it
said as it released a satellite picture of the site taken on
March 30.
"A DigitalGlobe satellite image from 2005 shows the
same area as undeveloped with several adjacent ponds," it said
referring to the older picture of the same site.
"Based on procurement data and public advertisements
for bidding requests, ISIS concluded in 2006 that India was on
the verge of adding at least 3,000 centrifuges to the RMP," it
claimed.
"If the construction seen in the March 3, 2010 imagery
is for a new gas centrifuge hall, India's uranium enrichment
capacity at RMP will be greatly expanded," ISIS claimed.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, June 03, 2010, 21:41