NSG divided on non-NPT nations becoming members: China

“With regard to what to do on the issue of non-NPT signatories joining (the NSG), China consistently supports having ample discussion on this to seek consensus and agreement and come to a unanimous decision”, said Mr Hong.

Till recently, six countries opposed India’s bid- China, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, New Zealand and Mexico.

Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation.

To another query, he said that our application NSG membership was prepared some three months ago, however theplan was to follow Indian application.

While refusing to confirm whether “the practical issues” included India’s NSG membership, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Russian Federation was always “very supportive” of India’s NSG aspirations.

In his book, former foreign secretary Maharajakrishna Rasgotra mentioned that U.S. president John F Kennedy had offered India a chance to develop and detonate a nuclear device much before China’s test in 1964.

Hong also denied discussion on India and other NPT non-signatories’ admission to the NSG at an unofficial meeting held Thursday. During his briefing, he told members of the committee that India was a country seven times larger than Pakistan, yet relations between both have remained bad ever since the start due to the issue of Kashmir.

“They will talk about some of the recent activities that included the strike that took out the Taliban commander – and our on-going concerns about security along the Pakistan-Afghan border, and more broadly our desire to see an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process”, said the U.S. official. Also read: To be or not to be: Will India’s NSG dream takeoff?

India scored a major victory in 2008, under Modi’s predecessor, by securing a waiver from Washington allowing it access to nuclear technology and fuel despite its refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

“Look, all I can say is that during his visit to India in 2015, President (Barack) Obama did affirm the United States view that India meets missile technology control regime requirements and is ready for membership”. NSG members decide on entry of new members only through consensus. The scientist that headed its nuclear weapons programme ran an illicit network for years that sold nuclear secrets to countries including North Korea and Iran.