India's gains from MTCR (To go with India joins group that controls...)

India's hard-fought MTCR membership announced on Monday comes with gains that can boost its indigenous missile technology besides giving access to latest unmanned weapons delivery systems from major missile manufacturers in the world.

The MTCR membership will enable India to sell the BrahMos missiles, which it manufactures jointly with Russia, making New Delhi a significant arms exporter for the first time. India is already in talks with Vietnam to sell the missile.

The country can now procure cryogenic engine technology for the Indian Space Research Organisation to expand its space exploration programmes.

India can also have access to technologies to augment the development of its indigenous ballistic missile system or a shield to incoming ballistic missiles. This will give a fillip to the government's Make in India initiative.

India can also source surveillance drones from countries like the US.

--IANS

sar/vt