India officially joins MTCR, the elite missile club

India has officially joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as a full member, saying that it would prove to be mutually beneficial to enhance global non-proliferation norms.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar signed the instrument of accession to MTCR, marking India's first entry into any multilateral export control regime.

"India has joined the MTCR this morning...India's entry into the regime as its thirty-fifth member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives," said a statement from the External Affairs Ministry.

"India would like to thank each of the thirty-four MTCR Partners for their support for India's membership. We would also like to thank Ambassador Pieter de Klerk of The Netherlands and Mr Robert Steinmetz of Luxembourg, co-Chairs of the MTCR," the statement said.

This MTCR entry has come days after it couldn’t get into NSG because of stark opposition from China and a few other countries. China, additionally, is not even a member of MTCR.

By this membership, India will be able to buy high-end missile technology while also being able to enhance its joint ventures with Russia.

Image source