Question

Recently, the USA decided to support India’s membership in multi-lateral export control regimes called the “Australia group” and the “Wassenaar arrangement”. What is the difference between them ? 

1. The Australia group is an informal arrangement which aims to allow exporting countries to minimize the risk of assisting chemical and biological weapons proliferation, whereas the Wassenaar arrangement is a formal group under the OECD holding identical objectives. 

2. The Australia group comprises predominantly of Asian, African and north American countries, whereas the member countries of Wassenaar arrangement are predominantly from the European union and American continents. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ? 

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer 1

(d) Wassenar arrangement : Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies. 

Australia Group : It was formed to help member countries to identify exprot of Chemical and biological weapons. There are not many Asian / African countries in the Australia Group. Only Asian country is Japan and NOT a single African country is there. Wassenar agreement has South Africa, Japan, from Asia but yes, the countries from EU and Americas are there. But, both the statement are incorrect and the correct option is d.