India joins Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation

India on 1 June 2016 joined the Hague Code of Conduct (HCoC) against Ballistic Missile Proliferation as its 138th subscribing state. India joined it by notifying HCoC Central Contact, Vienna, through diplomatic channels.

India’s joining the Code signals its readiness to further strengthen global non-proliferation objectives. Its subscription reinforces its support for international missile non-proliferation.

This will also help to increase transparency and strengthen security.

Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC)

• The HCOC is a voluntary mechanism that has built a broad international predisposition against ballistic missile proliferation.

• It also promotes transparency and confidence building, including through the Subscribing States’ commitment to submit pre-launch notifications and annual declarations of their relevant policies.

• It consists of a set of general principles, modest commitments, and limited confidence-building measures.

• It is intended to supplement, not supplant, the Missile Technology Control Regime, and is administered collectively by all subscribing states.

• It was formally brought into effect on 25 November 2002, at a launching conference hosted by the Netherlands in The Hague. The number of signatories has increased from 96 to 138.

• Formerly, it was known as the International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation.

• The non-subscribing states include countries like China, Pakistan, Israel and Iran.

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