Mexico backs India’s nuclear suppliers group bid

India’s hopes of entering the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) brightened as Mexico extended support to New Delhi’s membership to the exclusive club during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country.

On Wednesday, Mexican President Enrique PeNa Nieto extended his country’s support, saying Mexico supports “positively and constructively India’s membership of the NSG”.

Sources also acknowledged that there were other countries as well, apart from China, that were not in favour of an NSG entry for India but said their numbers were in single-digits in the 48-member NSG grouping and that the government still had a few days to convince these nations. But China continued to maintain its position that the Non-Proliferation Treaty is central to the NSG, diplomats said. China wants NSG membership for Pakistan if NSG extends any exemption for India.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reportedly contacted Russia, South Korea and New Zealand to gain support for NSG membership.

Modi on Monday had visited Switzerland, another member of the NSG which is known to have strong proliferation concerns, and it had announced support to India’s candidature.

China was strongly opposed, and instead backed a bid by India’s military rival, Pakistan, to join. Another key factor standing in the way of India’s nomination is that it is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Earlier this week, decks were cleared for India to join the Missile Technology Control Regime.

Pakistan argues that its presence in the NSG is in the interest of nuclear trading countries, as it will further promote NSG non-proliferation objectives by the inclusion of a state with nuclear supply capabilities and its adherence to the NSG guidelines. I would like to particularly thank President Pena Nieto for his support to the International Solar Alliance. Beijing is keen to see that Islamabad gets on board, despite the latter’s poor non-proliferation record.

Membership in the global group, which now has 48 members, allows for greater access to nuclear power technology, which, in turn, opens up an opportunity for each member to develop a more autonomous and independent nuclear power industry of its own. The La Crosse Democrat says that at a time when the U.S.is facing a surplus of dairy products, India can offer an untapped market for Wisconsin dairy producers to sell their goods in.

India has been seeking to be member of the four multi-lateral export control regimes: the NSG, MTCR, the Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group.