China has opposed India's membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG. (File Photo)
Highlights
- India wants to enter 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
- NSG last week ended meeting without deciding on India
- China indicates it will not relent on blocking India
After India blamed "one country" for keeping it from joining the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG, China has retaliated, stating that "many countries" expressed concerns about membership for nations that have not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that at last week's meeting in Seoul many countries had expressed their views on the accession of non-NPT countries into the group." He added, "We believe that they should forge a consensus and then make a decision based on consultations and thorough discussions regarding the entry of the specific country."
However, Delhi has been encouraged by the news that the NSG has named Argentine Ambassador Rafael Grossi as a facilitator for informal consultations on India's admission, and that there will be another NSG meeting towards the end of the year to look at admission of countries that have not signed the non-proliferation treaty, including India.
But indicating its inclination to continue thwarting India, "we have never heard of any follow up steps," said the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson.
India's application, made in May, to join the 48-country bloc has not been decided, with China leading the efforts last week to keep it out of the club that controls the transfer and trade of advanced nuclear technology and material while ensuring against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
The NSG operates completely by consensus, so even one vote against India will keep it out of the group.
America has led the push for India to be allowed into the NSG, while China has countered the campaign by stating that India's application cannot be treated differently from that of Pakistan, whose nuclear weapons record is highly problematic.
Ahead of the NSG meeting in Seoul, Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to win the support of Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Tashkent on the sidelines of a regional summit.
India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington.