Press Releases
India’s Participation in the Wassenaar Arrangement
1. At the 23rd Plenary Meeting of the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), held on December 6 and 7 in Vienna, India’s application to become a WA Participating State was unanimously approved. India will become the WA’s 42nd Participating State.
2. Japan has supported India’s participation in the WA, as detailed in the Japan-India Joint Statement issued in September 2017 (PDF)
, including acting as the Co-Rapporteur country relating to India’s application to become a member.
3. Japan welcomes India’s participation in the WA, which will contribute to strengthening export controls on conventional arms and related dual-use goods and technologies in the Asian region.
(Note 1) Wassenaar Arrangement
The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies is an export control regime established in September 1996 with the aim of promoting transparency and great responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and related dual-use goods and technologies, thus preventing destabilizing accumulations. Participating States are required to implement export controls based on control lists and procedures agreed by the WA.
At the recent plenary meeting only a decision to approve India’s application to participate in the WA was made and the date of its formal participation will be decided as soon as the necessary procedural arrangements for joining the WA are completed.
(Note 2) Excerpt from the Japan-India Joint Statement (September 2017)
The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to work together for India to become a full member in the remaining three international export control regimes: Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group, with the aim to strengthen the international non-proliferation efforts.