This comes just a month after India got the membership of the 42-member Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) export control regime.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed India's entry into elite nuclear group — Australia Group (AG). This comes just a month after India got the membership of the 42-member Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) export control regime. WA works to harmonise controls to ensure that export of critical chemicals doesn't lead to development of chemical or biological weapons.
AG is a multilateral export control regime comprising an informal grouping of 42 countries to identify exports that need to be controlled to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Modi said India's entry into elite nuclear groups in the recent past has reaffirmed the country's commitment to nuclear non-proliferation. "I thank Australia and other members of the Australia Group for export control for supporting India's entry in it," Modi tweeted.
This is third of the four non-proliferation and export control groups that accepted India's membership. Earlier in 2016, India became a member of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), followed by membership to Wassenaar Arrangement in 2017. India's application for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership is pending following China's objection.
Modi said India's membership of the MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group reaffirmed the country's "strong non-proliferation credentials and commitment to global peace and security".
The AG in a statement said India's membership will help to counter "spread of materials, equipment and technologies that could contribute to the development or acquisition of chemical/biological weapons." Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said it would be "mutually beneficial and to help in non-proliferation".
Score: 3 out of 4
- With the acceptance from Australia Group, India is now member of 3 nuclear non-proliferation groups.
- It’s application to join NSG is still pending.
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