'Represent Dangerous Escalation': India Condemns Drone Attack On UAE's Barakah Nuclear Facility

Barakah Nuclear Facility: India on Monday strongly reacted to the drone attack targeting the Barakah nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In its official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that the attack was "dangerous escalation", further asking all the parties to return to dialogue. The remarks came after a drone attack near the nuclear facility triggered a fire; however, no causalities were reported. As per now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

'Return To Diplomacy'

In it statement, the MEA stated that the attack was "unacceptable" and asked to take the path of dialogue and diplomacy. "India is 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 diplomacy," the statement said.

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Earlier on Sunday, in a social media post, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, stated that the attack represents a dangerous escalation. "The attack, whether carried out by the principal actor or through one of its proxies, represents a dangerous escalation," Gargash stated. Apart from this, Saudi Arabia also criticised the attack and stated that it intercepted three drones in its airspace.

How Crucial Is Barakah Nuclear Plant?

The Barakah nuclear power plant is one of the UAE's most strategically important projects. Built with South Korean support at a cost of nearly 20 billion dollars, the facility began operations in 2020 and today supplies around 25 per cent of the country’s electricity needs.

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Situated about 200 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi near the Saudi and Qatari borders, Barakah has long been seen as a high-value strategic site. Sunday’s drone strike was the first reported attack on the four-reactor facility during the ongoing US-Iran tensions.

The UAE has faced several missile and drone attacks amid the Israel-US-Iran conflict. Authorities have said multiple incidents originated from Iran and targeted energy facilities and maritime infrastructure.