MTCR is a boost to India’s global ambitions
India's entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), one of the four global nuclear regimes, under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, must be hailed as a significant achievement in the country's recent history of nuclear disarmament. Notably, India's entry to the 34 member group was not opposed by a single member, as confirmed by the current Dutch chairperson of the MTCR. India's membership had been blocked by Italy in 2015, which was directly linked to the standoff over the detention of the two Italian marines in the case of killing two Kerala fishermen. However, realising a fresh diplomatic logjam, the Modi Government had taken the quick decision to allow the second Marine, Salvatore Girone, to return to Italy. This brings special significance in clinching the deal for entering the MTCR. Besides, the major breakthrough comes days after India declared that it is subscribing to The Hague Code of Conduct against ballistic missile proliferation that is considered to be complimentary to the MTCR. Back in 1987, the MTCR was founded with an objective to limit the spread of ballistic missiles and other unmanned delivery systems that could be used for chemical, biological and nuclear attacks. The MTCR urges all its members, which include most of the world's key missile manufacturers to restrict their exports of missiles and related technologies capable of carrying a 500kg payload for at least 300km or delivering any type of weapons of mass destruction. In fact India was among the five nations which were regarded as Unilateral Adherents to the basic norms of the MTCR since 2008.
What is likely to follow from India's membership of the MTCR is that potential sale of predator series of unmanned aircrafts for the Indian military might get a boost. With a full-fledged US backing, the MTCR entry will be a stepping stone for expediting India’s membership to the coveted Nuclear Supplier's Group (NSG). India has already initiated the process of joining the NSG, a big 48 member group which governs trade in commercial nuclear technology and was established in response to India's first nuclear test in 1974. At the moment, China, a member of the NSG, is blocking India's membership to the club. However, the US has strongly backed India's membership to the three other nuclear regimes-NSG, Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement. As India is already jointly making supersonic cruise missiles the Brahmos, with Russia its admission to the MTCR will facilitate the country to become a major arms exporter for the first time in its history. Also, being an MTCR member, India will be able to buy high-end missile technology and surveillance drones like the Predator.
It must be noted that after Modi's recent visit to the US during the last two years, Washington, DC has started visualising him as a shrewd pragmatist, but with a strong nationalist flavour. It has been observed so far that most US politicians, policymakers and business leaders can work comfortably with Delhi now more than ever before. Bringing strategic autonomy and non-alignment together in his diplomatic lexicon, Modi is fast on the road to clinch critical deals not only with the US, but also with other major global powers.