Abstract
In September 2025, the U.S. State Department introduced a pivotal reinterpretation of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Under this new policy, advanced military drones, previously subject to the regime’s strictest controls, are reclassified as conventional military aircraft, thereby streamlining their transfer through standard Foreign Military Sales channels. While the United States cites operational necessities and competitive market dynamics as justifications, this shift challenges the norms of consensus-based non-proliferation and risks fragmenting the regime. This brief investigates the MTCR’s historical foundations, assesses the strategic logic behind this reinterpretation, and evaluates the broader implications for the future of multilateral arms control.
Keywords: MTCR, Drone policy, Non-proliferation, Export controls, USA, China, India
