Counterfeit equipment is becoming a major threat to nuclear safety globally. The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in India housing two VVER-1000 reactors, imported from Russia is being delayed because of counterfeit, substandard and obsolete equipment. The polar crane, the limb of the reactor, is defective as its hoisting capacity is less than 80% of its nameplate capacity. The crane is used for installing the equipment inside the reactor building and also for removing spent fuel. The contract said that there will be no weld in the beltline of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). The received vessels have two circumferential welds on the beltline. RPV, the heart of the reactor is irreplaceable and hence determines the life of the reactor. RPV and polar crane are safety grade equipment. The core-damage frequency(CDF) of the reactor in the contract was 10e−7reactor-years, while the supplied reactor has a CDF of 10e−5reactor-years. Two units of generator transformers were received as damaged and these were dismantled and reassembled at the site. This paper finds evidences of the unethical practices of sale and use of obsolete and counterfeit reactor equipment and discusses the global catastrophic risks with reference to the international nuclear safety standards.