The Future of Space - The Eisenhower Institute, Washington, D.C.: "DESIRE AND DENIAL: The Nullification of Cryogenic Rocket Motor Technologies to India
By V.S. Arunachalam

The Missile Technology Control Regime, MTCR for short, was formed in 1987 by seven countries, mainly from Europe and North America, to control the export of missile and rocket systems and technologies. The rationale behind this initiative is that by controlling the technology flow it would be possible to prevent, or at least minimize, the global spread of carrier systems capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction. This regime was seen as an addition to the other two existing groups, Nuclear Suppliers Group formed to control the export of nuclear materials and technologies and a similar Group set up to prevent the export of materials, equipment and technologies for manufacturing chemical and biological weapons [1]. In 1993, India experienced the impact of the MTCR guidelines on its major space program when its purchase order for technologies needed to manufacture cryogenic rocket motor stages was refused by Russia, after the contract was signed, and when India and Russia were actually working to implement the project. It became known that Russia was forced to abjure its commitment citing force majeure clause in the contract because of the pressure exerted by the United States. The pressure to nullify the contract was so intense, it was said, that Vice President Al Gore had cancelled his meetings with Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin in early 1993 to express US dissatisfaction with Russia's continuing commitment to honor the Indian contract. There were also warnings of cancellation of the lucrative Space Station contracts that could have gone to Russian agencies and black-listing them if Russia went ahead with the Indian pr"
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