Addressing the Proliferation of Dual-Use Technologies to Non-State Actors: An Analysis

In a recent session at the United Nations General Assembly, India highlighted the escalating threat posed by the illicit transfer of sensitive dual-use technologies. These technologies, which possess both civilian and military applications, are increasingly becoming accessible to non-state actors, including terrorist organizations. India’s position underscores the critical need for a robust, harmonized global framework to monitor supply chains and prevent the proliferation of materials capable of creating weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The emergence of advanced digital, space-based, and chemical dual-use technologies has created a complex security landscape. When such capabilities fall into the hands of terror-linked groups, they not only destabilize regional security but also undermine the integrity of international non-proliferation regimes. India’s call for 'global vigilance' is an extension of its long-standing foreign policy of advocating for a rule-based international order. The objective is to plug loopholes in existing global export control mechanisms—such as the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Missile Technology Control Regime—which currently struggle to track the sophisticated acquisition methods utilized by non-state actors.