Bolstering the non-proliferation agenda! India becomes full member of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
In its first entry into any multilateral export control regime, India on Monday joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as a full member, three days after it failed to get NSG membership due to stiff opposition from China and a few other countries.
Taking to micro-blogging site, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Vikas Swarup said, Foreign Secretary Jaishankar received MTCR membership papers from Envoys of France, Netherlands and Luxembourg.
"India 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.
Since its civil nuclear deal with the US, India had 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.
MTCR membership will enable India to buy high-end missile technology and also enhance its joint ventures with Russia.
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.
(With agency inputs)
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