India in MTCR Club, Can Now Export Arms

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ndia on Monday, 27 June 2016 became an official member of the weapons regulatory body – Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) – that will enable it to become a global arms exporter while granting it access to sensitive technology.

India’s membership at the body was confirmed by the Chairman of the joint Netherlands-Luxembourg Chairmanship of the MTCR Ambassador Piet de Klerk, following which Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar was handed over the decision.

India formally applied for membership of the group in June 2015 in an effort to integrate itself with the global nuclear energy market. However, the application was rejected by Italy during the MTCR Plenary Meeting in Rotterdam in October last year.

The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the proliferation of missiles, complete rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles, and related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kg payload at least 300 km, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). It also stipulates common export policy guidelines and a common list of controlled items.

The MTCR has two categories of items – Category I, the export of which is highly restricted such as UAVs and rockets and Category II, the export of these items is moderately controlled, which includes dual-use technologies such as avionics, propellants and communication systems.

MTCR is one of the four global nuclear export control regimes, including the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Wassennar Agreement and the Australia Group. India has yet to become a member of the NSG, thanks to opposition from China.