WASHINGTON: In a move that could open the door for greater India-U.S. collaboration in the important space, the Obama Administration said it would relax its export control norms on satellite and its components.
These changes have been made part of the U.S. President's Export Control Reform Initiative, and will increase the competitiveness of cutting-edge, well-paying manufacturing and technology sectors by better aligning export controls with national security priorities, the State Department said.
According to the new regulations, these changes allow most commercial, scientific, and civil satellites and their parts and components to move to the Department of Commerce's Commerce Control List.
This revision removes from the U.S. Munitions List communication satellites that do not contain classified components; remote sensing satellites with certain performance parameters; any spacecraft parts, components, accessories, attachments, equipment, or systems that are not specifically identified in the revised category; and most radiation-hardened microelectronic microcircuits.
These rules allow satellites controlled by Commerce Control List of Department of Commerce that incorporate certain parts and components controlled by the USML to remain CCL-controlled, if certain conditions are met.
It also removes from the USML certain spacecraft, while supporting U.S. National Space Policy by creating conditions that allow the U.S. Government to more easily host payloads on commercial satellites.
