MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME
- March 14, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME
TOPIC: Science & Tech
Section: Defence
Context- The accidental firing of a missile by India into Pakistan could have led to serious, unintended escalation of tensions between the two nuclear armed countries.
Concept-
- Pakistan has alleged that the incident “indicates many loopholes and technical lapses of a serious nature in Indian handling of strategic weapons” demanding a joint probe.
- It has also sought the involvement of the international community to promote “strategic stability in the region”.
- The description by Pakistan — that the missile was travelling at three times the speed of sound, at 40,000 feet, and is a surface-to-surface missile — has led to speculation that the accident involves the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile which is now in the inventory of India’s three Services.
- India became a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime in 2016.
- India is developing more missile systems, including a hypersonic variant.
- The handling and the launch of any such missiles are highly regulated with checks and balances to avoid accidents.
About MTCR:
- Missile Technology Control Regime is an informal and voluntary partnership among 35 countries to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying greater than 500 kg payload for more than 300 km.
- The members are thus prohibited from supplying such missiles and UAV systems that are controlled by the MTCR to non-members.
- It was established in April 1987 by G-7 countries – USA, UK, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, and Japan.
- In 1992, the focus of the regime extended to on the proliferation of missiles for the delivery of all types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), i.e., nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
- It is not a legally-binding treaty.
- The efforts of non-proliferation of ballistic missile systems had further been strengthened by “The International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation”, also known as the Hague Code of Conduct (HCOC), which was established on 25 November 2002 as an arrangement to prevent the proliferation of ballistic missiles with 136 UN member countries including India.
- India was inducted into the Missile Technology Control Regime in 2016 as the 35th member.
Multilateral Export Control Regimes:
- MECR are voluntary and non-binding agreements created by the major supplier countries that have agreed to co-operate in their effort to prevent and regulate the transfer of certain military and dual use technology.
- It aims at preventing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
- They are independent of the United Nations.
- Their regulations apply only to members and it is not obligatory for a country to join.
- India is now a member of three of the four MECRs, except the Nuclear supplier Group.
- There are currently four such regimes under MECR
- The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), for the control of nuclear related technology.
- The Australia Group (AG) for control of chemical and biological technology that could be weaponized.
- The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) for the control of rockets and other aerial vehicles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction.
- The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.
**** For further reading refer to https://optimizeias.com/when-a-missile-misfires/