Important : India Joins Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)

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The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) has today officially declared India’s membership, stating that as a new member India will be entitled to “full participation” in organisational activities including the October 2016 plenary of the regime which will take place in South Korea. India’s foreign secretary S. Jaishankar signed the document of accession to the MTCR in New Delhi in the presence of  France’s Ambassador-designate Alexandre Ziegler, The Netherlands’ Ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga and Luxembourg’s Chargé d’Affaires Laure Huberty.

Note : This announcement came three days after it failed to be a part of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) due to stiff opposition from China and many other countries.

Important Details you should know

• The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) established in April 1987 by the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the United States and Japan). 
  
• The MTCR was created in order to curb the spread of unmanned delivery systems for nuclear weapons, specifically delivery systems that could carry a minimum payload of 500 kg for a minimum of 300 km.
• MTCR aims at restricting 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 (WMD).
• India’s membership had been blocked in 2015 by Italy, which seemed to link it to the standoff over the detention of the Italian marines.
• India became the 35th member of the MTCR. 
• MTCR membership will enable India to buy high-end missile technology and also enhance its joint ventures with Russia.
• India will also be able to source drones from the US. 
• 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.
• China, which stonewalled India’s entry into the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the just-concluded Seoul plenary, is not a member of 34-nation MTCR.

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