China Continues to Oppose Nuclear Suppliers Group Membership for India

It was taken up at a special session though China had said that the membership of non-NPT countries would not be discussed at the plenary.

“The meeting discussed issues of bilateral interest including cooperation in economic and defence sectors, with the specific focus on Pakistan’s inclusion in Nuclear Suppliers Group”, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry.

The end of two-day plenary in Seoul on Friday led to an inconclusive stand on India’s fate in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Speaking separately, senior party spokesman Anand Sharma came down hard on the government by terming the developments at the NSG meet as an “embarrassment” to India. “In the absence of NPT as the political and legal basis, how could the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsular be resolved?” However, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in a press release, issued on Friday said that “discussions on expansion of membership, or what is called “participation” in NSG, were certainly not hypothetical”.

“Firstly India’s membership was not taken up”. It was specifically barred from nuclear trade by the United States and other countries. At the same time, becoming an NSG state would elevate the country’s prestige and end its embarrassing exclusion from an elite global body. New Delhi would be able to gain a seat at the high table setting the rules for nuclear commerce. India is trying hard to get entry into the NSG, a 48-nation club dedicated to curbing nuclear arms proliferation by controlling the export of weapon-producing material.

Prime Minister thanked Russian Federation for its support to India in SCO and said India as BRICS chair would keep up the momentum generated by Russian Federation. These states wish not to block India’s admission but to develop a procedure for incorporating in this group other countries that are not NPT signatories. But with as many as six countries opposing its entry, on the grounds that India is yet to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the gates remained closed for India, at least for now.

China said India should not become a member until it signs the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) – a key requirement for all NSG members.

The NSG sets global rules for worldwide trade in nuclear energy technology.

Chinese diplomats at the meeting did not comment, but Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said Beijing wanted to focus on the ongoing accession of India and Pakistan before moving on.

Modi had urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to make a “fair and objective” assessment of India’s application which was before the Seoul plenary as the two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It was one of the countries that had supported India after PM Modi’s visit.