"Dangerous escalation": India expresses concerns on drone attack targeting UAE's Barakah nuclear facility

India on Monday strongly condemned the drone attack targeting the Barakah nuclear power facility in the United Arab Emirates describing the incident as a ldquodangerous escalationrdquo and urging all sides to exercise restraint and return to dialogueIn a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs MEA India expressed concern over the attack and stressed that targeting nuclear infrastructure posed serious risks to regional stability and civilian safetyldquoWe are deeply concerned at the attack targeting the Barakah nuclear facility in the UAE Such actions are unacceptable and represent a dangerous escalation We urgently call for restraint and a return to dialogue and diplomacyrdquo the MEA saidUAE confirms drone strike near Barakah plantThe reaction came after the UAE confirmed that a drone attack had targeted an electricity generator located outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra regionAuthorities in the UAE stated that the incident caused no damage to the nuclear facility itself and did not affect plant operations However the country strongly condemned the strike calling it a ldquoterrorist attackrdquo and a direct threat to national securityThe UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack marked a serious escalation and violated international law including principles related to the protection of civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilitiesUAE warns against threats to peaceful nuclear facilitiesAccording to the UAE targeting civilian nuclear infrastructure violates the UN Charter humanitarian law and international agreements governing nuclear safety and securityThe ministry stressed that international standards laid down by the International Atomic Energy Agency clearly require the protection of peaceful nuclear facilities from military threats or hostile actionsThe UAE also reiterated that it would not tolerate threats to its sovereignty or security and reserved the right to respond through diplomatic legal or military measures in accordance with international lawOfficials further stated that attacks on vital civilian infrastructure are unacceptable under humanitarian norms and called for an immediate halt to hostilitiesBarakah plant holds strategic importance in Gulf regionThe Barakah nuclear facility holds strategic significance as the first and only operational nuclear power plant on the Arabian PeninsulaThe USD 20 billion project was developed by the UAE in partnership with South Korean companies and officially became operational in 2020 The facility is considered a key part of the UAErsquos longterm clean energy strategy and regional energy security frameworkConcerns grow over attacks on nuclear infrastructureThe incident has renewed concerns over the increasing targeting of nuclearrelated infrastructure in conflict zones across the world Experts have warned that attacks on such facilities carry the risk of environmental contamination civilian casualties and wider geopolitical instabilityThe issue gained global attention during the RussiaUkraine conflict where repeated military activity around Ukrainian nuclear facilities raised fears of a nuclear disasterSimilar concerns have also emerged in the ongoing tensions involving Iran which has previously claimed that its Bushehr nuclear facility was targeted in hostile actions However those incidents reportedly caused no structural damage or radioactive leakageIndia reiterates support for diplomacyIndiarsquos statement reflects growing international concern over the potential consequences of military escalation involving critical energy infrastructure in West AsiaNew Delhi has consistently called for peaceful resolution of regional conflicts through diplomacy and dialogue while maintaining close strategic ties with the UAE and other Gulf nations