Expert Warns of India’s A-Peril

India has secretly obtained nuclear materials to run three reactors without international supervision and could gain access to enough plutonium to build about 15 atomic bombs a year, a U.S. nuclear expert said today.

Gary Milhollin, a consultant to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said at a news conference that India is either secretly importing heavy water for the reactors--probably from China--or illegally diverting the substance from other nuclear plants subject to international inspection. Heavy water allows a chain reaction to occur in natural uranium fuel. Indian Embassy officials were not available for comment.