New Delhi: India today joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), three days after it failed to get NSG membership due to stiff opposition from China and a few other countries.
“The MTCR Point of Contact in Paris has conveyed the decision regarding India’s accession to the regime through the Embassy of France in New Delhi as well as the Embassies of The Netherlands and Luxembourg,” Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release on Monday.
“India would like to thank each of the thirty-four MTCR Partners for their support for India’s membership. We would also like to thank Ambassador Pieter de Klerk of The Netherlands and Mr. Robert Steinmetz of Luxembourg, co-Chairs of the MTCR, for facilitating India’s accession to the regime. India’s entry into the regime as its thirty-fifth member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives,” MEA said.
This comes as a win for India’s diplomatic efforts after it failed to secure a birth at Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), another export control regime India was eyeing for. India’s bid to join NSG last week ended in failure after China and some other countries raised “procedural issues” which effectively stopped India’s attempt to obtain membership at the plenary meeting on June 23-34 in Seoul.
China, which stonewalled India’s entry into the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the just-concluded Seoul plenary, is not a member of 34-nation MTCR.
Membership of MTCR is decided by consensus just like in NSG.
Since its civil nuclear deal with the US, India has been trying to get into export control regimes like NSG, MTCR, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement that regulate the conventional, nuclear, biological and chemicals weapons and technologies.
India’s case in MTCR was opposed last year by Italy which is not happy with New Delhi over the marines dispute. However, after both marines, accused of murdering two fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012, were allowed to return, the Italians have softened their opposition.
India’s efforts to get into the MTCR also got a boost after it agreed to join the Hague Code of Conduct, dealing with the ballistic missile non-proliferation arrangement, earlier this month.
Membership of the MTCR will help India procure high-end missile technology and surveillance systems by leading manufacturers which are allowed to be accessed by only MTCR member countries.
India has developed a range of missile systems including Brahmos, Agni and Prithvi missile systems. Brahmos is a joint venture with Russia.
There were certain formalities to be completed before India is inducted into the bloc, added the sources.
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 kilogramme payload for at least 300 kilometres, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
