The Department of Defence Production has been made the sole licensing authority for the export of all goods falling under the munitions category for military use.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has notified the updated SCOMET (Special Chemicals Organisms Materials Equipment and Technologies) list for 2024.
A key agency within the Union commerce ministry, DGFT is primarily responsible for the administration and implementation of India's foreign trade policy.
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"With the recent update, DGFT has also authorised the Department of Defence Production (DDP), ministry of defence, to be the licensing authority for export of all items falling under Category 6 of SCOMET for military end use," a statement from the ministry of commerce read.
Category 6 list includes munitions such as weapons, rifles, and magazines.
India is a member of the major multilateral export control regimes—the Missile Technology Control Regime, Wassenaar Arrangement, and Australia Group—and harmonises its guidelines and control lists with that of these regimes and the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
As the exports under the SCOMET have substantively increased during the past few years, DGFT has taken several steps, based on regular interactions with the industry to facilitate authorised and responsible export of these high-end goods and technologies.
