WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force on Nonproliferation and a leading opponent of efforts to grant India a special exemption from U.S. nonproliferation laws, released the following statement regarding the FBI indictments of two individuals for exporting sensitive missile technology to India in violation of U.S. law.  The indictments also allege conspiracy by Indian governmental officials in this circumvention of U.S. export control law, breaking important political agreements with the United States government.

Rep. Markey said:

“If the Indian government has attempted to circumvent U.S. export controls over sensitive missile technology, as is alleged in the indictment, then it has violated its explicit agreements to become a responsible international actor in the context of nonproliferation.

“India has also long touted its strong military and space-launch cooperation with Iran, which raises the possibility that the sensitive U.S. missile technologies India has misappropriated may wind up benefiting Tehran.  This would be absolutely unacceptable, and it would be treated as such by the Congress.

“This is not only an indictment of individuals for breaking export control law, it is also a blistering indictment of the Bush Administration’s judgment.  

“This administration successfully pressed Congress to grant India a huge exception to U.S. nuclear nonproliferation laws with the argument that India has strong nonproliferation credentials.  However, if the allegations contained in this indictment are true, India has shown itself to be willing to violate U.S. export controls in order to gain access to sensitive technologies.  

“Congress needs to reassess whether to proceed to allow the Indian government access to nuclear materials and sensitive technologies.

“We need to find out how long the Administration has known about this behavior, and whether it was content to let the Congress remain in the dark about yet another critical national security issue.”