Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) have become a buzzword after 9/11 and, are arguably posing the most serious threat to international security. By WMD we generally mean nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and their delivery systems.  While there are some international regulations and norms to curb proliferation of these weapons, a coordinated effort is imperative to check their ‘horizontal’ spread and prevent terrorist groups from acquiring these weapons.

To meet this challenge, Washington had announced the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), on May 31, 2003, presently an eleven member conglomerate, as part of its emerging doctrine of pre-emption to combat WMD proliferation and to encourage nations to take adopt an aggressive approach towards tracking and seizing WMDs, their delivery systems and related items in transit. This multilateral forum is designed to prevent countries like North Korea, Iran and to some extent Pakistan from importing or exporting materials that could facilitate their weapons programs – especially missile technologies. The United States and its allies have sensed the urgency for this kind of regime when the Spanish authorities tipped off by American intelligence, seized a North Korean ship carrying 15 Scud missiles in the Indian Ocean. But they had to release the cargo and the ship which was heading towards Yemen, after discovering that the missiles are not banned by existing international laws. This setback has sounded a wake-up call for the United State and its allies.

International law forbids interdictions both in sea and air. But this multilateral forum is all set to become a powerful grouping in future. Since President Bush’s Wavel Royal Castle speech in Poland, this new  ‘interdiction regime’ has progressed substantially with two formal meetings â€â€