Export Controls in India

Abstract

The article undertakes a generic examination of the global change in understanding export controls with the end of the Cold War and in the wake of new threats of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation to and by non-state actors. These have necessitated a more inclusive approach to export controls. India, which until now has been outside such regimes, has a special significance since it is a major user, producer and trader of dual-use items and technologies. The article links the global changes with a simultaneous transformation in India's perception of export controls. It contrasts India's past and present approaches to export controls, identifies measures towards their better institutionalisation, highlights implementation challenges unique to the Indian environment and suggests measures to overcome these challenges. The article also argues that while export controls ensure trade with security, they have limited value as tools of non-proliferation, which in order to be sustainable, must not only dry up supply sources but also mitigate demand.