MTCR, NSG and Other Global Initiatives against WMD & India's Stance

Grouping/Agreement

Objectives & Features

India’s Stance

Nuclear Supplies Group (NSG)

• Group of nuclear supplier countries based on Non-Proliferation Principle
• Mandate is to regulate nuclear exports & nuclear-related exports
• Set up in 1974 as a response to Indian nuclear test
• Being a signatory of NPT is an important criteria to join the elite club
• Has 48 members including P5 of the UNSC

• Applied for membership in May 2016
• Sought exemption from NPT on grounds of clean track-record
• India’s pledge of “no-first-use” policy will help in getting membership
• Got support from all major members; China poses hurdle
• Membership helps in lucrative global nuclear trade
• Will get access to sensitive nuclear material & technologies
• Big boost to domestic industries & clean energy initiatives

Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)

• An informal and voluntary partnership among 35 countries
• Set up in 1987 by the G7 countries
• Aims to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology
• Focus on those that carry minimum payload of 500 kg & minimum of 300 km
• Not a treaty and does not impose legally binding obligations on member
• Has 34 members & China is not a member

• Applied for membership but denied membership in October 2015
• Major countries supported but Italy was reluctant (“due to rift on Marine case”)
• Membership helps India in curbing global missile proliferation threat
• More of strategic concern and no additional benefit in terms of trade
• Because the group has no restrictions on trade with non-members

Wassenaar Arrangement

• Set up in 1995 in Wassenaar (the Netherlands) & operation in 1996
• Focus is on conventional arms & dual-use goods and technologies
• Seeks to achieve peace and security through export controls
• Has a 4-point criterion for membership
• 41 members including the USA and Russia

• Interested in joining this export control regime
• Meets 3 of the four conditions needed to join
• They are – Producer of arms; Adherence to non-proliferation policies
• Third - Fully effective export controls (announced a list of 16 in August 2015)
• Fourth - Yet to comply with SCOMET list criteria
• Benefits – participation in trade and Play key role in deciding export regulations

Australia Group

• Informal group set up in 1985
• As a response to Iraq’s use of chemical weapons in 1984
• To control the export of chemical and biological weapons
• Key role in the conclusion of Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) of 1997

• Willing to join the group with the USA’s backing
• Ratified the CWC and set up a national authority in 2000
• With membership, gets a chance in deciding export items list

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

• To prevent the spread of nuclear weapons & weapons technology
• Binding treaty and came into force in 1970 for 25 years
• In 1995 extended indefinitely; Joined by 195 parties so far
• Two categories Nuclear Weapon States (NWS), which are also P5, & Non-NWS
• NWS are those that conducted tests before 1 January 1967

• Unwilling to sign the treaty as it is biased towards NWS
• NPT discriminatory because it enables development of weapons only by NWS
• India, Israel and Pakistan are the major non-signatories
• Signing of NPT is crucial as it linked to membership in other control regimes

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)

• Seeks to ban all nuclear explosions in all environments
• Applicable to military as well as civilian purposes
• Adopted by UN General Assembly in September 1996
• Signed by 183 and ratified by 164
• Not in force because not ratified by all 44 Annex II countries including India

• Not a signatory to the convention
• Because the USA signed and not ratified so far
• Other non-signatories: Pakistan, North Korea & Myanmar

Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

• Legally binding treaty that outlaws biological arms
• In force since 1975 & has 174 states-parties
• Non-signatory States – Israel and many African nations

Ratified the convention and strongly committed to not to produce the biological weapons