India tightens security at nuclear facilities

NEW DELHI, Dec 1 (Reuters) - India has tightened security at its nuclear facilities, assigning a rapid response military team to complement civil protection measures after intelligence warnings the sites were a prime target for militants. There are 22 nuclear reactors across the country, some of them close to crowded cities such as Mumbai, and guarding them is seen as a security challenge for a country of 1.1 billion people. Army officials told Reuters that this was the first time the country was strengthening coordination between its civilian forces and military to secure nuclear facilities. "The security arrangement in place at all vital installations is unprecedented to tackle all kinds of threats,"an army officer said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.