India today joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as a full member and said its entry would be mutually beneficial to enhance global non-proliferation norms.
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 Chargé d’Affaires Laure Huberty in New Delhi.
External Affairs Ministry in a statement said India has joined the MTCR this morning. It further stated India’s entry into the regime as its thirty-fifth member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives. It also said India would like to thank each of the thirty-four MTCR Partners for their support for India’s membership.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar receiving the letter of membership of MTCR.
The MTCR Point of Contact in Paris has conveyed the decision regarding India’s accession to the regime through the French Embassy in New Delhi as well as the Embassies of The Netherlands and Luxembourg. AIR correspondent reports that
India’s entry into MTCR comes days after it failed to getNuclear Suppliers Group membership due to stiff opposition from China and a fewother countries. Significantly, China, which stonewalled India’s entryinto the 48-nation NSG at the just-concluded Seoul plenary, is not a member of MTCR.
MTCR membership will now enable India to buy high-endmissile technology and also enhance its joint ventures withRussia. The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the proliferation ofmissiles, complete rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles andrelated 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.
