15th RIC (Russia, India and China) foreign ministerial meeting is going to be held in New Delhi.
It is expected to review global and regional issues of mutual interest as well as discuss trilateral exchanges and activities.
Russia has assured that it will take up the issue of India’s entry into NSG with china during the meeting.
Nuclear Suppliers’ Group
NSG is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.
It was founded in response to the Indian nuclear test in May 1974.
As of now, the NSG has 48 members with European Commission and the Zangger Committee Chair participates as observers.
The NSG Chair for 2017-2018 is Switzerland.
The NSG Guidelines contain “Non-Proliferation Principle,” adopted in 1994.
It means a supplier, notwithstanding other provisions in the NSG Guidelines, authorises a transfer only when satisfied that the transfer would not contribute to the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
India has been pursuing member countries of NSG to become a member but its entry is being opposed by China, New Zealand, Ireland, Turkey and Austria.
Wassenaar Arrangement
Wassenaar arrangement focuses on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.
It is a multilateral export control regime which became operational in 1996.
It is designed to regulate the export of sensitive technologies that could possible lead to destabilizing accumulations.
It is presently composed of 41 countries. Currently India is not a member.
The Secretariat is located in Vienna (Austria).
Export controls are implemented by each individual participating State based on the wassenaar arrangement list.
Member states exchange information on their transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods to states outside of the arrangement.
All decisions are taken by consensus and the deliberations are kept in confidence.
It is not a treaty, and therefore is not legally binding.
The political committee of wassenaar Arrangement is going to meet in Vienna, which is likely to decide on India’s membership request.
International Tourism Mart
It is being organized by the Union Ministry of Tourism in association with North Eastern States.
This year, the 6th International Tourism Mart is organized at Guwahati, Assam.
It is organised in the North Eastern States on rotation basis.
The earlier editions of this mart have been held in Guwahati, Tawang, Shillong, Gangtok and Imphal.
It is organized with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets.
It will put the spotlight on India’s “Act East Policy”, blossoming ties with ASEAN and the larger East Asia region.
