The MTCR group membership will enable India to buy high-end missile technology.
AB Wire
India formally joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as a full member on Monday.
Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar signed the instrument of accession to MTCR and made India’s first entry into any multilateral export control regime.
IN 2015, Italy surprisingly blocked India’s membership to MTCR, which was presumably due to the standoff over the detention of the Italian marines who faced murder charges in India for the 2012 killing of two fishermen.
Italy’s position changed as the remaining Italian marine was sent back in May this year following arbitral tribunal decision.
“In has joined the MTCR this morning… India’s entry into the regime as its thirty-fifth member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives,” External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
“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,” the statement said.
The MTCR group membership will enable India to buy high-end missile technology and also enhance its joint ventures with Russia.
India’s entry into MTCR comes days after failed bid to get Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership due to the opposition from China and a few other countries. Significantly, China is not a member of MTCR.
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 kilograms payload for at least 300 kilometers, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction.