the NSG, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Australia Group, and the Wassenaar Arrangement. These regimes have emerged as the leading forums of the global export controls system and are the oldest multilateral bodies for export controls. Though these are small informal groupings, they derive their importance from the nature of their membership. Most of the major suppliers of high technology or sensitive technology, mostly dual use in nature, are members of these regimes.
Initially, three of the four regimes started with Western countries, but gradually included important countries from the Eastern bloc of the Cold War era. Some countries which are considered Third World or developing also joined these regimes. In fact, the fourth regime—Wassenaar Arrangement—was formed after the Cold War and involved former socialist or East bloc countries in its formation.
It is certain that membership of such regimes will give India a distinct advantage in participating in the management of the global commerce in advanced technology. Similarly, India, with its emerging high-technology profile, will strengthen global export controls or strategic trade management through the multilateral export controls regimes. However, the reality is that India is not yet a member of any of these regimes.
The indigenous character of the missile programme makes the MTCR practically redundant in the Indian context. The attempts by the US to put pressure on the Indian space programme by imposing sanctions on India's Space Research Organisation and the Russian Glavkosmos for the sale of the cryogenic engine shows the Western desperation in this regard. Although the Russians cancelled the sale of technology and consequently the sanctions on them were lifted, the sanctions against India remained in place until their expiry in May 1994. India said the sanctions had caused minor inconvenience to the space programme, which is a civilian enterprise in India.66 In June 1997, the United States imposed export curbs on some Indian firms for their role in India's missile programme.