New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) India's membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), acquired earlier this week, will facilitate high technology tie-ups with the Indian industry, a senior official said on Friday.
India's MTCR membership is expected to facilitate high technology tie-ups with Indian industry and ease access to high-tech items for our space and defence programmes, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said at his weekly media briefing here.
While membership of the regime would not automatically entail any preferential treatment from other MTCR partners, it would create the grounds for realignment of India in the export control policy framework of other MTCR partners, he said.
He noted that Indias space and defence research and development facilities were removed from the US Entities List when the US recognised India as an MTCR-adherent.
The MTCR is an informal and voluntary partnership among 35 countries to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying above 500 kg payload over more than 300 km.
Swarup said that Indias engagement with the MTCR dated back to 1994 based on a common interest in contributing to international non-proliferation efforts related to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) delivery systems.
We announced our intention to adhere to the guidelines and control list of the MTCR in July 2005 as part of the civil nuclear initiative, he said.
We conveyed our formal adherence to the Guidelines and control list in September 2008. In November 2010, India expressed its interest in joining the export control regimes including MTCR.
According to the Spokesperson, following a period of enhanced engagement with the regime and its members, India applied for membership in June 2015 and formal accession to the MTCR took place on June 27 this year.
Swarup said that membership of the MTCR would not pose any restrictions on Indfia's national security programmes.
Further, India has formal space cooperation with 35 countries including several MTCR partners even prior to joining the MTCR. In the coming days, India can be expected to play an even bigger role as a provider of space applications to the global community, he stated.
