Washington: India has become "virtually self-sufficient" in its missile programme enabling it to avoid international export control regime and difficulties arising out of foreign involvement in its programme, a US Congressional body has said.

Ever since the 1998 Pokharan detonations, India's decision making is a key factor in regional stability in South Asia, the Congressional Research Services (CRS) said in a report.

The CRS, which advises the Congress, attributes this self-sufficiency to the fact that "most likely in anticipation of the Missile Technology Control Regime, India went on what was described by some analysts as a shopping spree for gyroscopes, accelerometers, and motion simulators from suppliers in the US, Germany, France and Sweden.

"India then reverse-engineered these high quality foreign missile components, and that was a key factor in her subsequent self-sufficiency."

On the assumption that American interests require a balance between India and Pakistan and that India should not compare itself with China, CRS says that ever since the 1998 nuclear tests in South Asia, it has appeared that India's decision-making is a key factor in shaping regional stability.

According to the Pentagon, "India's development of medium-range ballistic missiles is motivated by its desire to be recognised as a great power and strategic competitor with China."

China, says CRS, seems content with its existing deterrent against India, and Pakistan's limited resources appear to constrain its ability to initiate an Indo-Pakistan arms race.

"Thus, a key variable in the future evolution of South Asian nuclear proliferation is India's strategic intention in relation to China."

PTI