The Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) recently saw its 26th annual plenary, where Ireland handed the chairmanship to India. The handover will come into effect from 1st January 2023. This article focuses on the significance of this move, the role and objectives of the Wassenaar Arrangement, and the impact it may have on various international relations and dynamics.
Understanding Wassenaar Arrangement
Established in July 1996, the Wassenaar Arrangement is an export control regime with voluntary participation. Comprising 42 member states, primarily from NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the European Union, the WA aims to regulate the transfer of conventional weapons, as well as dual-use goods and technologies. ‘Dual-use’ refers to products or technology that can be exploited for both peaceful and military purposes.
The Secretariat of the Wassenaar Arrangement resides in Vienna, Austria. The primary objective of the arrangement is to control the movement of technology, materials, or components that could potentially threaten international security and stability. Participating states are required to report arms transfers and denials of certain dual-use goods and technologies every six months.
India joined this arrangement in 2017 and has now been handed over the chairmanship.
The Decision-Making Body
The Plenary serves as the decision-making body of the Arrangement and comprises representatives of all participating states. They typically convene once a year, typically in December, and the Chair position rotates annually among the participant states. All decisions are arrived at by consensus.
Why Chairmanship is Significant for India?
India’s chairmanship could bolster the country’s anti-terrorism efforts, especially given its recent uptick in global positioning against terrorism and terrorist financing. It could aid in steering group discussions towards strengthening export controls to prevent arms diversion to terrorists or countries supporting terrorism.
This could potentially result in a robust anti-proliferation framework for South Asia, given the escalating economic crisis and rapid radicalization in India’s western neighbors. Additionally, India could play an instrumental role in democratizing access to defense and space technology and processes.
Other Export Control Regimes
Apart from the Wassenaar Arrangement, there are other export control regimes as well. These include the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for nuclear-related technology control, the Australia Group (AG) for controlling technology that could potentially be weaponized, and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) for controlling rockets and aerial vehicles capable of causing mass destruction.
Membership to these groups enhances a nation’s credibility and provides greater access to technology and material. With India likely to become a significant global player, it is important for the nation to strengthen its voice and substantiate its claim as a rising power.
Previous Year Question on the Wassenaar Arrangement
In the 2011 Civil Services Examination, a question was asked about the difference between the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement. The answer indicated that both these arrangements weren’t similar, disputing prevalent assumptions.
