'Dangerous Escalation': India Condemns Attack On UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Facility, Urges Restraint

The MEA voiced concern over the targeting of the UAE’s Barakah nuclear power plant, and called for diplomatic engagement and restraint to prevent further escalation.

India condemned the Barakah nuclear power plant in UAE, calling it "unacceptable".

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India on Monday condemned the drone attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), calling it "unacceptable" and a “dangerous escalation". It also urged all sides to return to dialogue and diplomacy and exercise restraint amid rising regional tensions.

In an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, India expressed “deep concern" about the strike on the UAE’s sole nuclear facility.

“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 noted.

The reaction came after the UAE confirmed that a drone had struck an electricity generator located outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah nuclear facility.

UAE Terms Incident A ‘Terrorist Attack’

The UAE strongly condemned the strike, describing it as a “terrorist attack,” while clarifying that the nuclear power plant itself did not suffer any damage.

In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said the attack constituted “a dangerous escalation” and “an unacceptable act of aggression” that directly threatened the country’s security.

The ministry said targeting peaceful nuclear energy facilities represented a clear violation of international law, the UN Charter and humanitarian principles because of the risks such incidents pose to civilians, the environment and regional stability.

According to the UAE, international conventions and resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) underline the need to safeguard civilian nuclear facilities from military attacks or hostile acts.

The UAE further asserted that it would not tolerate threats to its sovereignty or national security and reserved the right to respond through diplomatic, legal or military means in accordance with international law.

Concerns Over Attacks On Nuclear Infrastructure

The UAE also reiterated that attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure were unacceptable under international humanitarian norms and called for an immediate halt to hostilities. 

The Barakah nuclear facility, developed with technical collaboration from South Korea and operational since 2020, is the first and only functioning nuclear power plant on the Arabian Peninsula. The project reportedly cost around USD 20 billion.

The incident has renewed concerns over the growing vulnerability of nuclear infrastructure in conflict zones. Similar fears emerged during the Russia-Ukraine conflict after repeated concerns over the safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

Iran has also previously claimed that its Bushehr nuclear power plant faced hostile attacks during regional tensions, though those incidents reportedly caused no structural damage or radiological leak.