New Delhi: In a major win for India, the members of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a key anti-proliferation grouping, are reported to have cleared the way for the South Asian nation's membership.
News agency Reuters quoted diplomats as saying that India had sought admission to the 34-nation grouping and none of the members had objected to it when the deadline for them to raise objections expired on Monday.
Diplomats from four MTCR member nations told Reuters on the condition of anonymity that India's admission has been accepted automatically under the so-called 'silent procedure' of the group.
The development is significant and came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington later on Tuesday. The Prime Minister is currently on a visit to the United States.
Being a member of the MTCR, India would be able to buy high-end missile technology and possibly state-of-the-art surveillance drones like the US Predator, Reuters reported.
The Ministry of External Affairs had said before PM Modi left for a five-nation tour last weekend that the MTCR process was "looking good".
No official comment was available from MEA spokesman Vikas Swarup, who is travelling with the PM.
