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Export of BrahMos missile to be reality...

...subject to Russian approval, which is co-developer

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Days after Indian diplomacy hit a dead end at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), officials at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had a reason to smile, as India joined an exclusive club of countries controlling exports in missile technology. India's membership at the body was confirmed by the Chairman of the joint Netherlands-Luxembourg Chairmanship of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Ambassador Piet de Klerk, following which foreign secretary S Jaishankar was handed over the decision. The MEA thanked the other 34 members of the MTCR group for supporting India's inclusion.

Officials here believed that inclusion in the MTCR was seen as a next step for India in legitimising its nuclear energy and missile programs. It will help India to buy high-end missile technology, also making more realistic its aspiration to buy surveillance drones such as the Predator, made by General Atomics. But the membership requires India to comply with rules such as a maximum missile range of 300 km (186 miles) capable of carrying a 500 kilogramme payload that seek to prevent arms races from developing as well as system intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). China is not member of MCTR. The group also focuses on any equipment, software or technology that can enable a nation to produce such systems.

Marking India's first entry into any multilateral export control regime, foreign secretary S Jaishankar signed the instrument of accession to MTCR in the presence of France's ambassador-designate Alexandre Ziegler, The Netherlands' ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga and Luxembourg's Charge d'Affaires Laure Huberty.

India had applied for membership of the MTCR in the first week of June 2015, but had not gained membership due to opposition particularly form Italy. India had submitted a dossier of more than 100 pages along with its application for MTCR membership, detailing India's non-proliferation record. The Indian control list—SCOMET—has harmonised the "integral common list of controlled items listed in the MTCR Equipment, Software and Technology Annex." India has also harmonised its export controls with the MTCR guidelines. The MTCR maintains a common list of items, including dual-use technology and components, which can be used to deliver WMDs or enable the building of systems which can do the same. The MTCR, however, unlike the NPT is not a treaty and does not impose any legally binding obligations on its adherents and members.

What India will get

The membership will help United States and others to release high-end technology to India. At the moment, Under American laws, any foreigner deemed to have sold items which aid a non-MTCR country in acquiring delivery systems such as missiles would be subject to certain sanctions.

The MTCR places voluntary restrictions on its members' exports of missile and missile-related technology, particularly on Category I systems. These are systems capable of carrying a payload of at least 500 kilograms to a distance of at least 300 kilometres – a definition that includes both cruise missiles and larger drones.

India's accession will be seen as strengthening its own export controls, therefore lessening those risks and making it easier for other MTCR members to justify transferring sensitive technology to India.

Space programme will be main beneficiary.

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