How will India be benefited from its accession to MTCR, Australia Group and Wassennar Arrangement? Explain.
India is now member of three out of four global elite export control regimes with an exemption of NSG. India can reap wide benefits from the membership of the group.
MTCR
MTCR is an “informal political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology”. It has 35 members. India was admitted in June 2016. China is not a member.
It encourages members not to export missiles delivering any weapon of mass destruction, with special focus on missiles capable of carrying a 500-kg payload over at least 300 km, and on equipment, software, technology for such systems.
Benefit to India: India’s main benefit from membership is that it burnishes its image as a non-proliferator, thereby making it easier for other missile-making countries to export to India. India is the only one of the four unrecognised nuclear powers (the others are Pakistan, Israel and North Korea) that is a member of MTCR.
Australia group
The Australia Group (AG) is “an informal forum of countries which, through the harmonisation of export controls, seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.
Membership in Australia group would help strengthen supply chain security in the dynamic industry fields of biotechnology and chemicals along with meeting non-proliferation objectives. Place in Australia group will strengthen case for NSG membership.
Wassenaar Agreement
It aims to promote transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, so there are no destabilising accumulations and terrorists do not acquire them.
Members must be producers/exporters of arms/sensitive industrial equipment; have national polices for non-proliferation and an effective export control regime; must adhere to global non-proliferation compacts including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Biological Weapons Convention, Chemical Weapons Convention.
India will be able to more easily access dual use technologies and materials and military equipment that are proscribed for non-participating members. India will also be able to sell its nuclear reactors and other materials and equipment indigenously produced without attracting adverse reactions. It will also be in a better position to collaborate with other countries in developing such capabilities.
Membership of the Wassenaar Arrangement, along with membership of MTCR and Australia Group, provides for three-fourths of the way into the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group. These memberships enhance the legitimacy of India as a responsible nuclear power.
Topics: GS-II: Bilateral Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements