India on Friday joined the Australia Group which aims to stop the development and acquisition of chemical and biological weapons, a move that may take the country an inch closer to joining the Nuclear Suppliers’ group (NSG).

This is the third multilateral export control group – after the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and Wassenaar Arrangement – that India has become a member of.

Diplomatic relations build by India with other countries and obviousy a lot International visits done by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did work and India, again in a win-win situation and of course it is a diplomatic win for Narendra Modi government.

What is The Australian Group:

The Australia Group is an informal arrangement which aims to allow exporting or transshipping countries to minimise the risk of assisting chemical and biological weapon (CBW) proliferation. The Group meets annually to discuss ways of increasing the effectiveness of participating countries’ national export licensing measures to prevent would-be proliferators from obtaining materials for CBW programs.

Participants in the Australia Group do not undertake any legally binding obligations: the effectiveness of their cooperation depends solely on a shared commitment to CBW non-proliferation goals and the strength of their respective national measures. Key considerations in the formulation of participants’ export licensing measures are:

they should be effective in impeding the production of chemical and biological weapons;

they should be practical, and reasonably easy to implement, and

they should not impede the normal trade of materials and equipment used for legitimate purposes.

All states participating in the Australia Group are parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), and strongly support efforts under those Conventions to rid the world of CBW.

PRESS RELEASE: INDIA JOINS THE AUSTRALIA GROUP 19 January 2018 On 19 January 2018 India formally became the 43rd member of the Australia Group (AG), the cooperative and voluntary group of countries working to counter the spread of materials, equipment and technologies that could contribute to the development or acquisition of chemical and biological weapons (CBW) by states or terrorist groups. There was very strong support expressed for India’s membership at the 26-30 June 2017 Australia Group Plenary, after which consensus was reached intersessionally. India then reaffirmed its intention to join the Group. In warmly welcoming India to the Group, the other Australia Group members recognised the Government of India’s commitment to bring India’s export control system into alignment with the Australia Group and India’s determination to contribute to the global effort to prevent the proliferation of CBW in the security interests of all members of the international community. In joining the Group, the Government of India said its entry into the Group would be mutually beneficial and would contribute further to international security and non-proliferation objectives; and, that India’s law-based export control system enables the Government of India to implement the obligations arising from the Australia Group’s Guidelines and Common Control Lists including its reporting requirements, information exchange and principles. With its admission into the AG, India has demonstrated the will to implement rigorous controls of high standards in international trade, and its capacity to adapt its national regulatory system to meet the necessities of its expanding economy. India is also aware of the need to constantly adapt its export controls in the face of rapidly evolving scientific and technological challenges, and in this regard, affirmed its readiness to act in close cooperation with all members towards the furtherance of Australia Group objectives. The other Australia Group members are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Republic of Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.

PRESS RELEASE BY MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, INDIA

India has joined the Australia Group (AG) on 19 January 2018 following the completion of internal procedures for joining the Group.

The Australia Group decided to admit India as the Group’s 43rd Participant through a consensus decision.

India would like to thank each of the AG Participants for their support for India’s membership. We would also like to thank Ambassador Jane Hardy of Australia, former Chair of the Australia Group, for her role in facilitating India’s accession to the Group.

India’s entry into the Group would be mutually beneficial and further contribute to international security and non-proliferation objectives.

NOTE: FEATURED IMAGE IS DIRECTLY IMPORTED FROM WIKIPEDIA.ORG

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