No one would take a government sponsored seminar seriously unless some minister inaugurated it and stayed back to listen to the key note speeches. But IDSA (www.idsa.in) and Ministry of External Affairs sponsored seminar yesterday wasn’t an ordinary one as the keynote speech was delivered by Foreign Secretary ,Ranjan Mathai himself.
The seminar on strategic export controls gave ample insight into the policy paralysis in the government. Sadly it is now toxically infecting India’s strategic choices too.
Ranjan Mathai spoke about India’s desire to join global export control regimes which was supposed to come to us as a happy bonus after inking Indo-US nuclear deal. But that has been craftily denied by global technology and armament cartels. So having been disappointed in strategic game, Manmohan Singh goes local and extends hand to pick the low hanging fruit (?) called Indo-Pak détente.
The seminar was addressed by top officials from DGFT, Deptt of Atomic Energy and Customs amongst others. The audience mainly comprised of retired diplomats and armed forces generals. Also present were he invitees from US , Japan and Korean governments.
Indian government officials seem to be speaking from same power point slides on exports controls as SCOMET List expertise is now a password to high policy table. DGFT stated that they do no enforcement on SCOMET exports and outsource it completely to Customs. Even though amended FTDR Act gives it powers far more draconian than the Customs Act. When pointed about the dilution of anti-proliferation rules by the government of India in the form of DGFT issued notifications 93 and 53 0f 2012, it was denied that there was any dilution of rules. The notification 93 allows SCOMET exports into India’s Special Economic Zones without an export license virtually rendering the SCOMET list a redundant piece of executive order. The speaker from Customs department rightly pointed to Custom Acts’ revenue centric approach to border controls making non-proliferation legislations a practically unenforceable proposition. Though Customs department didn’t remember how their first SCOMET enforcement case prior to US assault of Iraq terrified the Indian business. The case of Delhi based exporter NEC Engineer is landmark in how not to enforce export controls. The speaker from Deptt of Atomic Energy also appeared more knowledgeable on SCOMET list than the controls on atomic energy related materials. Notification 53 needs to be contested by Deptt of Atomic Energy to safeguard India’s energy security.
CII representative made an eloquent case for liberalizing defense export policy to boot up India’s growing military Industry but any defense related thoughts gives UPA a nightmare and defense exports through public-private partnership that it so wisely initiated also is now an uncared orphan.
It is matter of concern that the upcoming PIL in Supreme Court of India will declare the ‘catch-all’ sections of WMD Act unconstitutional in national interest. Courts now seem to be the last resort to rectify every misbegotten act of India’s ruling dispensation. Political class can be exonerated here as export controls are an exotic topic reserved for retired and serving civil military officialdom. The hapless Indian tax payer can always be trusted to fund their conference tickets to seminars like yesterday at IDSA.
The world is noticing India’s ‘two steps ahead and one back’ approach in strategic trade control matters. A national policy debate is long overdue on this matter. Hopefully once again, the Supreme court may show the path.
Varsha Bisht. Chief -Editor
The seminar on strategic export controls gave ample insight into the policy paralysis in the government. Sadly it is now toxically infecting India’s strategic choices too.
Ranjan Mathai spoke about India’s desire to join global export control regimes which was supposed to come to us as a happy bonus after inking Indo-US nuclear deal. But that has been craftily denied by global technology and armament cartels. So having been disappointed in strategic game, Manmohan Singh goes local and extends hand to pick the low hanging fruit (?) called Indo-Pak détente.
The seminar was addressed by top officials from DGFT, Deptt of Atomic Energy and Customs amongst others. The audience mainly comprised of retired diplomats and armed forces generals. Also present were he invitees from US , Japan and Korean governments.
Indian government officials seem to be speaking from same power point slides on exports controls as SCOMET List expertise is now a password to high policy table. DGFT stated that they do no enforcement on SCOMET exports and outsource it completely to Customs. Even though amended FTDR Act gives it powers far more draconian than the Customs Act. When pointed about the dilution of anti-proliferation rules by the government of India in the form of DGFT issued notifications 93 and 53 0f 2012, it was denied that there was any dilution of rules. The notification 93 allows SCOMET exports into India’s Special Economic Zones without an export license virtually rendering the SCOMET list a redundant piece of executive order. The speaker from Customs department rightly pointed to Custom Acts’ revenue centric approach to border controls making non-proliferation legislations a practically unenforceable proposition. Though Customs department didn’t remember how their first SCOMET enforcement case prior to US assault of Iraq terrified the Indian business. The case of Delhi based exporter NEC Engineer is landmark in how not to enforce export controls. The speaker from Deptt of Atomic Energy also appeared more knowledgeable on SCOMET list than the controls on atomic energy related materials. Notification 53 needs to be contested by Deptt of Atomic Energy to safeguard India’s energy security.
CII representative made an eloquent case for liberalizing defense export policy to boot up India’s growing military Industry but any defense related thoughts gives UPA a nightmare and defense exports through public-private partnership that it so wisely initiated also is now an uncared orphan.
It is matter of concern that the upcoming PIL in Supreme Court of India will declare the ‘catch-all’ sections of WMD Act unconstitutional in national interest. Courts now seem to be the last resort to rectify every misbegotten act of India’s ruling dispensation. Political class can be exonerated here as export controls are an exotic topic reserved for retired and serving civil military officialdom. The hapless Indian tax payer can always be trusted to fund their conference tickets to seminars like yesterday at IDSA.
The world is noticing India’s ‘two steps ahead and one back’ approach in strategic trade control matters. A national policy debate is long overdue on this matter. Hopefully once again, the Supreme court may show the path.
Varsha Bisht. Chief -Editor
