Despite being blocked by China to enter the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group, as confirmed on prime minister Narendra Modi’s recent United States visit, India to become a full member of a multinational export control regime, MTCR.

External Ministry official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, “We applied for the membership of MTCR last year and all the procedural formalities have been completed. Tomorrow, foreign secretary S Jaishankar will sign the document of accession into MTCR in the presence of Ambassador of France, Netherlands and Luxembourg.”

Previously, India’s entry into the 34-nation Missile Technology Control Regime was blocked by Italy over its unhappiness with India on handling Marines dispute. But since both the marines, accused in killing two fisherman on Kerala coast in 2012, are allowed to return, the Italian authorities have somehow agreed upon India’s MTCR membership. India has also agreed to sign the Hague Code of Conduct, earlier this month, an arrangement deals with non-proliferation of the ballistic missiles.

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The objective of MTCR is to control the proliferation of missiles, complete rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles and technologies for systems which are capable to carry a 500 kg payload for at least 300 km and the system intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

India, for the long time after cracking a nuclear deal with US, trying to enter onto export control groups such as NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group and Wassenaar Arrangement. However, India’s NSG bid was recently blocked by China, over it disagreement with India over not signing the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. Interestingly, unlike the NSG, China is not part of the Missile Technology Control Regime.

With the MTCR membership India will get access to buy high-end missile technology will be able to make its joint ventures with Russia strong.  

By Prajakt K.