In a major boost to India, the U.S. on Monday eased export controls on high-technology product sales to it by designating it as a Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 country.

This comes after the U.S. recognised India as a “Major Defence Partner” in 2016, a designation that allows India to buy more advanced and sensitive technologies from the U.S..

“We have granted to India Strategic Trade Authorisation STA-1,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced, adding that this is “a very important change” in India’s status in the export control regime.

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