India will assume the chairmanship of the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), a multilateral technology control agreement, on 1 January 2023, for a period of one year.
- India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement, a multilateral export control regime, in 2017 and became its 42nd member.
About :
- The Wassenaar Arrangement is an elite club of countries that subscribe to arms export controls, similar to the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Missile Technology Control Regiment.
- It was established in the year 1996.
- The founding document of the Wassenaar Arrangement is also known as Initial Elements.
The elements that contribute to the Wassenaar Arrangement’s Approach include:
- Control Lists
- Procedures for the General Information Exchange
- Procedures for the exchange of Information of arms
- Meetings and administration
- Participation
- Procedures for the Exchange of Information on Dual-Use Goods and Technology and confidentiality.
What are the Aims of Wassenaar Arrangement?
- To promote “greater responsibility” and transparency among its members in exports of weapons and dual-use goods.
- Controlling the movement of technology, material or components to countries or entities which undermine international security and stability.
- To prevent “destabilizing accumulations”
Who Are The Members Of The WA?
- The WA has 42 members, the latest entrant being India.
- With the exception of China, all the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council are signatories of the WA, which is headquartered in Vienna.
- India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement in December 2017 as its 42nd participating state.
What are the significance ?
- India would be able to prevent arms diversion to terrorists or to sovereign nations supporting terrorism.
- India could play a significant role in democratising access to technologies and processes that can serve as crucial building blocks for the newly emerging defence and space manufacturing sectors in India.
- India is slowly emerging as a low-cost producer of several items in the WA’s control lists.
- Establishing the credibility of the country as a responsible stakeholder in the global non-proliferation architecture.
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