Obama to host nuclear security summit in March-April

US President Barack Obama would host the fourth and final nuclear security summit in March- April next year which is expected to be attended by a galaxy of world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The two-day summit here on March 31 and April 1 will continue discussion on the evolving threat and highlight steps that can be taken together to minimise the use of highly- enriched uranium, secure vulnerable materials, counter nuclear smuggling and deter, detect, and disrupt attempts at nuclear terrorism, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.
While no official announcement has been made on who all would participate in the nuclear security summit, the US-led international meeting is expected to be attended by a galaxy of world leaders including Prime Minister Modi.

The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had attended the inaugural nuclear security summit in Washington DC in 2010. This was followed by additional Summits in Seoul in 2012 and The Hague in 2014.
These Summits achieved tangible improvements in the security of nuclear materials and stronger international institutions that support nuclear security, the White House said.
If Modi travels to Washington for the Nuclear Security Summit, this would be his third trip to the US in less than two years after becoming the Prime Minister in May 2014.

Modi's first trip to the US was in September 2014. He is scheduled to travel to US next month to attend the 70th annual general assembly session of the United Nations and address the Indian American community in Silicon Valley on September 27.

At the last nuclear security summit in Prague in 2009, Obama had said nuclear terrorism is the most immediate and extreme threat to global security.
He announced an international effort to secure vulnerable nuclear materials, break up black markets, and detect and intercept illicitly trafficked materials.
The three summits so far have achieved tangible improvements in the security of nuclear materials and stronger international institutions that support nuclear security, Earnest said.
"The US seeks a strengthened global nuclear security architecture that is comprehensive, is based on international standards, builds confidence in nations' nuclear security implementation, and results in declining global stocks of nuclear weapons-usable materials.

"We cannot afford to wait for an act of nuclear terrorism before working together to collectively raise our standards for nuclear security," Earnest said in a statement.