Resistance to India joining nuclear suppliers group softens

“Mexico supports positively and constructively India’s membership of the NSG, ” Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said at a joint media interaction with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto at Los Pinos in Mexico.

Other countries reportedly opposing Indian membership include New Zealand, Ireland, Turkey, South Africa and Austria.

The plenary meeting of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) took place in Vienna on Thursday.

Responding to a question about Pakistan’s inclusion in NSG regime, he said that Islamabad has submitted the application last week, and every country is eligible to apply, further adding that Washington is now reviewing Pakistan’s application.

While Pakistan has made a case for itself by citing its “technical experience, capability and well-established commitment to nuclear safety”, it has also opposed membership for India saying that it “could affect the strategic stability of South Asia”. “We will not compromise our principles, but we see this as an opportunity to reaffirm India’s involvement with the non-proliferation agenda”.

India continues to refuse to sign the nonproliferation treaty, arguing that it is discriminatory since it defines nuclear weapon states as those that tested nuclear devices before January 1967 – which would disqualify India from ever becoming a member.

“India entered into the Indo-US nuclear deal under the leadership of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh”.

“As a country we have a positive and constructive backing for this”. Modi thanked the president for his country’s support.

Though the US, Switzerland and Mexico came out in support of India’s entry into the NSG during Modi’s just completed five-day visit, sources said New Delhi was capable of doing the diplomatic heavy lifting required to get into the regime.

Apart from the NSG, Chinese state television said that enhancing defense ties with US would also be a high priority on Modi’s agenda.

“And that includes steps by Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to plan attacks in India and that Pakistan takes steps to address or to go after all the terrorist groups that are now using its territory”, he added. As expected, China led the opposition to a push by the United States and other major powers for India’s entry to the Group.

But China, a major NSG member, is still holding out, citing that India needs to sign the NPT. China wants NSG membership for Pakistan if NSG extends exemption for India.