New Delhi
5 July 2006
New Delhi has cited increased "strategic commerce" between India
and the United States to signal its intent to conform its export control legislation to the
guidelines of the "Australia Group" and the "Wassennaar Agreement". India currently is
not a signatory to either pact.
Well-placed sources said India, which is also not a party to Nuclear Suppliers Group and
Missile Technology Control Regime, has "updated" its export controls and brought them
"in conformity" with international covenants in an attempt to balance her trade and
security interests and get integrated in technology-embedded global commerce.
Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal and officials from the Ministry of
External Affairs including Joint Secretary (Americas) Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday
interacted with industry representatives to familiarise them with best practices and
guidelines in vogue in the United States and elsewhere.
Dwelling at length on the "rules of the game" applicable for dual-use technologies and
promotion of industry compliance with export controls to prevent proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction, they said better internal audit among private players will make
dual-use licensing by the US "predictable" and "liberal".
However, observers tracking the nuclear deal say India has acquiesced to the demands
of US lawmakers who sought as much in the Bill that was recently voted upon by
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. They see this as an attempt to shackle India's
sovereignty by using nuclear proliferation as argument.
The relevant portion of the "United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Bill"
recently voted upon by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee reads: "(6) a detailed
description of efforts and progress made toward the achievement of India's -- (A) full
participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative; (B) formal commitment to the
Statement of Interdiction Principles; (C) public announcement of its decision to conform
its export control laws, regulations, and policies with the Australia Group and with the
Guidelines, Procedures, Criteria, and Controls List of the Wassennaar Agreement; and
(D) demonstration of satisfactory progress toward implementing the decision described
in subparagraph (C)."
The Australia Group is an informal arrangement which aims to allow exporting or
transshipping countries to minimise the risk of assisting chemical and biological weapon
(CBW) proliferation. The Wassennar Agreement, in turn, deals with export control for
conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies.
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