India has yet again sought membership of four elite nuclear clubs — all multilateral export control regimes. This time it made its pitch at the Second Nuclear Security Summit here.
To bolster its claim, India reaffirmed it had never been a source of proliferation and that it was determined to strengthen its export control systems to ensure they conform to the highest international standards.
Staking claim to India’s membership of multilateral export control regimes, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at the summit plenary session on Tuesday morning: “We have already adhered to the guidelines of NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) and MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime). The next logical step is membership of the four export control regimes.” India has Washington’s backing to join these four regimes — besides NSG and MTCR there is the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Agreement. India’s desire was also spelt out in the national progress report it presented here Tuesday.