WASHINGTON: Congratulating India on joining the Austria Group the UnitedStates has said that it underscores New Delhi’s excellent non-proliferationcredentials.
“This latest accomplishment underscores the Indian government’s excellentnon-proliferation credentials and commitment to preventing theproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including by regulating thetrade of sensitive goods and technologies,” State Department spokespersonHeather Nauert has said.
“Its (India’s) accession bolsters the effectiveness of the regime’snon-proliferation efforts,” she added.
“India is a valued non-proliferation partner. We look forward to continuingour work with India in the Australia Group in furtherance of our sharednonproliferation goals,” Nauert further said in a statement.
The Australia Group on January 19, 2018, had admitted India as the 43rdmember through a consensus decision. “On 19 January 2018 India formallybecame the 43rd member of the Australia Group (AG), the cooperative andvoluntary group of countries working to counter the spread of materials,equipment and technologies that could contribute to the development oracquisition of chemical and biological weapons (CBW) by states or terroristgroups,” it had said said in a release.
AG is the third export control group India has joined. It is already amember of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)and Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms andDual-Use Goods and Technologies.
Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Modi had said that India’sentry into the elite nuclear clubs, including AG, had reaffirmed thecountry’s non-proliferation credentials.
“Over the last two years, India’s membership of MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangementand Australia Group reaffirms India’s strong non-proliferation credentialsand also our commitment to global peace and security,” he had tweeted.
He had also thanked Australia and other members of the AG for supportingIndia’s entry in the club.