More firms allowed to import dual use items

WASHINGTON, OCT. 2. In a significant decision, the United States has substantially reduced the number of Indian companies in the list of entities which could not import items for dual purposes - industrial and defence - under curbs imposed following New Delhi's nuclear tests in 1998.

The bulk of the 150 companies originally in the list are now free to import dual use items, officials said.

What is now left in the list is a handful of defence and space- related companies. Even in the case of companies still on the list, the presumption is approval and not denial, that is, if a company makes an application and it receives no answer within the stipulated time, it can go ahead and sell the item to India. Earlier, it could not sell banned items without prior approval.

- PTI

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Section  : International
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