Central Idea

The government has recently announced its commitment to enhancing the control of dual-use items to prevent their misuse by non-state actors and terrorists.
Dual-use items refer to goods that can be utilized for both civilian and military purposes.

Understanding Dual-Use Items

Dual-use items are commodities with the potential for application in both civilian and military contexts.
They are heavily regulated due to their capacity to be initially intended for civilian use and later repurposed for military or even terrorist activities.
Some examples include global positioning satellites, missiles, nuclear technology, chemical and biological weapons, night vision technology, thermal imaging equipment, specific models of drones, precision-engineered aluminium pipes, and certain types of ball bearings.

International Cooperation: Most industrialized nations have established export controls on specific categories of designated dual-use technologies.
Multilateral Agreements: Various international treaties and agreements govern the export of these items.
India’s Participation: India is a signatory to major multilateral export control regimes like the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), Australia Group (AG), and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). It is also party to key conventions such as the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention (BWC).
DGFT’s Role: In India, the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) plays a pivotal role as a facilitator of exports and imports. The DGFT maintains a specialized list known as SCOMET (Specialty Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies) to regulate dual-use items.

SCOMET item is an acronym for Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies.
These are dual-use items that can be used for both civilian and military applications. India’s Foreign Trade Policy regulates the export of items on the SCOMET List.
Exporting these items and technologies falls under strict regulations. It can either be prohibited or permitted only under a license.
The SCOMET control list aligns with the control lists of various multilateral export control regimes and conventions.

India’s Commitment: India is firmly committed to non-proliferation efforts related to dual-use items.
Integral Component: Export control over these items forms an integral part of India’s broader export control system.
Compliance: It ensures that sensitive and dual-use goods, including those covered by the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), are traded in full compliance with India’s obligations under various international regimes.

The government’s commitment to enhancing export control measures for dual-use items reflects its dedication to global non-proliferation efforts and the responsible trade of sensitive technologies.
Collaborative efforts among governments, industries, and stakeholders remain crucial in achieving effective export control of these items.