Bharat SainiLast Updated on March 4, 2018 by Bharat Saini
Australia Group, the cooperative and voluntary group of countries working to counter the spread of materials, equipment and technologies that could contribute to the development or acquisition of chemical and biological weapons (CBW) by states or terrorist groups; warmly welcomed India to the Group as its 43rd member on 19 January 2018. Australia Group (AG) members recognised the Government of India’s commitment to bring India’s export control system into alignment with the Australia Group and India’s determination to contribute to the global effort to prevent the proliferation of CBW in the security interests of all members of the international community.
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. Coordination of national export control measures assists Australia Group participants to fulfil their obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention to the fullest extent possible.
India thanked each of the AG Participants for their support for India’s membership and also thanked Ambassador Jane Hardy of Australia, former Chair of the Australia Group, for her role in facilitating India’s accession to the Group.
Government of India on joining the Group said that its entry into the Group would be mutually beneficial and would contribute further to international security and non-proliferation objectives; and that India’s law-based export control system enables the Government of India to implement the obligations arising from the Australia Group’s Guidelines and Common Control Lists including its reporting requirements, information exchange and principles.
With its admission into the AG, India has demonstrated the will to implement rigorous controls of high standards in international trade, and its capacity to adapt its national regulatory system to meet the necessities of its expanding economy. India is also aware of the need to constantly adapt its export controls in the face of rapidly evolving scientific and technological challenges, and in this regard, affirmed its readiness to act in close cooperation with all members towards the furtherance of Australia Group objectives.
India was admitted on 07 December 2017 as member of the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies, a multilateral control regime (MECR) with 42 participating states including many former Comecon (Warsaw Pact) countries.
India joined on 27 June 2016, Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a multilateral export control regime. It 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 for more than 300 km.
Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG is the only grouping that India is now left out of, where China has been repeatedly blocking New Delhi’s entry. NSG has 48 member countries that control trade in sophisticated civil nuclear technology.
