WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday upgraded New Delhi to what’s its export control regime terms a Strategic Trade Authorization status STA-1, aimed primarily at increasing American high-tech defence to India while also presumptively serving Washington’s geo-political goals.As reported briefly in TOI on Monday, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told a gathering of business leaders at the Indo-Pacific Business Forum that the move to grant STA-I status to India reflects its efforts to improve its own export-control regime, its adherence to multilateral export rules and its growing status as a US defence partner.Both sides talked up the status upgrade that puts India on a par with Washington’s Nato allies and other treaty partners, although the Trump administration has shown that such arrangements are not sacrosanct. President Trump himself has called US's European allies trading foes and has also imposed tariffs on neighbor and long-time ally Canada citing national security concerns.On his part, Ross focused primarily on US sales to India. "STA-1 provides India with greater supply chain efficiency, both for defence, and for other high-tech products," Ross said, adding that the elevated status would have affected about $9.7 billion worth of Indian goods purchases over the past seven years.India’s ambassador to the United States, Navtej Singh Sarna too lauded the development saying "It is a sign of trust, not only in the relationship but also (in) Indian’s capabilities as an economy and as a security partner, because it also presupposes that India has the multilateral export control regime in place which would allow the transfer of more sensitive defense technologies.""It also testifies to the excellent record we have had in maintaining non-proliferation of these technologies. I certainly think it fleshes out our defense partnership in a big way," he added.Although US high-tech exports to India have gone on under the umbrella of presumptive approval for many years going back to the Obama administration, the STA-I status will formally codify it to allow smoother flow.Currently there are 36 countries on STA-1 list, almost all from the Nato and ANZUS alliance. India is the only South Asian country to make the cut.New Delhi hitherto had a STA-2 designation given to seven countries, including (surprisingly) Israel, South Africa, and Taiwan. China and Pakistan, India’s two primary adversaries, are not in the Strategic Trade Authorization (STA) License Exception list.According to the Department of Commerce, items that are eligible for export to STA1 destinations or nationals thereof include items that are subject to control for: national security (NS); chemical or biological weapons (CB); nuclear nonproliferation (NP); regional stability (RS); crime control (CC), and/ or significant items (SI).In New Delhi, the ministry of external affairs welcomed the upgrade, calling it a "logical culmination to India's designation as a major defence partner of the United States".It is a "reaffirmation of India's impeccable record as a responsible member of the concerned multilateral export control regimes," the MEA said in a statement, adding that New Delhi looked forward to the US side operationalizing the decision at an early date.