India cannot be target for regime based restrictions: Rajan Mathai

NEW DELHI: India today said it cannot be the target of regime based restrictions and pitched for full membership of export control entities, including the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Foreign Secretary Rajan Mathai expressed confidence that India can fulfil the requirement of these export control regimes and the logical conclusion for it is to get the full membership of the four multilateral regimes- Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement.

"India cannot be a target of regime-based restrictions. The logical conclusion of partnership with India is its full membership of the four multilateral regimes," he said.

He added that India's partnership of the four regimes will be mutually beneficial on grounds of common non-proliferation objectives.

"...the main purpose and primary objective of India's enhanced and sustained engagement with these regimes is full membership. We will take forward this process of engagement and apply for membership when the necessary preparations have been completed and the ground has been prepared for India's full membership," he said.

He was delivering a keynote address at the MEA-IDSA National Export Control Seminar.

"India's ability to contribute to the fulfilment of those objectives, global industry cooperation and linkages, transfer subject to the highest export control standards, sound commercial considerations and the contributions that the India industry can make with its expanding capabilities and highly qualified work force," he said.