India has joined the Hague Code of Conduct (HCoC) against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, the government announced on Thursday.

“India has joined the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation by notifying the HCoC central contact in Vienna through diplomatic channels,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in his weekly media briefing.

“The HCoC is a voluntary, legally non-binding international confidence building and transparency measure that seeks to prevent the proliferation of ballistic missiles that are capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction,” he said.

“India's joining the code signals our readiness to further strengthen global non-proliferation objectives.” “Our national security interest will not be impacted in any manner, whatsoever, by joining HCoC," Swarup said.

Swarup said, “As far as MTCR is concerned, our application is on track and well-received, and we expect that process of India's membership would be completed soon.”

"The United States welcomes this step by India and calls on all countries who have not yet done so to subscribe to the HCOC," the State Department said in a statement.

"India's subscription reinforces its support for international missile nonproliferation and will help increase transparency and strengthen security," the State Department said.

India is the 138th country to join the group. 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.

By Premji