Drone Strike near the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant
Why in News?
A fire caused by a drone strike broke out in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates. No injuries were reported, and radiological safety levels remained unaffected.
| UPSC Relevance: GS-2 International Relations: Locations in News, West Asia Prelims: Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (Location) |
UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant:
- Location: Al Dhafra Region. The facility is located 200 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, near the borders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
- The nuclear plant features four APR-1400 (Advanced Pressurised Water) reactor units and is built with technical collaboration from South Korea. It began operations in 2020.
- It became the first nuclear plant on the Arabian Peninsula. The UAE became the second country in the region to build a nuclear power station after Iran and the first Arab nation to do so.
- It supplies approximately 25% of the UAE’s total electricity, making it a cornerstone of the nation’s clean energy and net-zero strategy.
The UAE signed the US-UAE 123 Agreement (named after Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act), in which it agreed to forego domestic uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent fuel to ease any proliferation concerns. Its uranium comes from abroad.
The latest drone attack comes amid stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran. The US halted its attacks last month but later imposed a port blockade.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which previously handled one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, before the US and Israel launched attacks on February 28, 2026.
India’s Strategic Interests in the UAE:
India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed deep concern and urged restraint and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.
- Energy Vulnerability: India imports ~85% of its crude oil needs; the Gulf is a major source. The Hormuz crisis has driven fuel prices higher globally, impacting India’s Current Account Deficit and inflation management.
- Indian Diaspora: ~3.5 million Indians live in the UAE — the largest expatriate community in the UAE. Any escalation affecting UAE stability poses direct risks to this diaspora.
- Remittances: The UAE is a top source of remittances to India (~$15 billion annually).
- India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA): Signed in 2022. The bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030 depends on the stability in the UAE directly.
India maintains ties with both Iran (Chabahar Port, connectivity projects) and the UAE/Gulf states, calling for dialogue reflects India’s traditional non-alignment and multi-alignment strategy.