India has joined a global ballistic missile proliferation regime, but made it clear that it will not have any impact on the national security as well as country’s missile programmes. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, “India has joined the Hague Code of Conduct (HCoC) against Ballistic Missile Proliferation by notifying the HCoC Central Contact in Vienna through diplomatic channels.”

The HCOC is a voluntary mechanism that has built a broad international predisposition against ballistic missile proliferation and promotes transparency and confidence building, including through the Subscribing States’ commitment to submit pre-launch notifications and annual declarations of their relevant policies. India’s subscription reinforces its support for international missile nonproliferation and will help increase transparency and strengthen security. Since the signing and entering into force of the HCOC Code in November 2002 in The Hague, the number of signatories has increased from 96 to 138. The NSG plenary meeting is being held in Seoul this month.

India became the 138th Subscribing State to the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC). The United States welcomes this step by India and calls on all countries who have not yet done so to subscribe to the HCOC.