External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addresses media on the achievements of two-year-old Modi government.
Highlights
- "We hope to become a member of the NSG by year-end," said Sushma Swaraj
- On Pakistan, she said, "We wouldn't like to oppose anyone's entry"
- "We would like applications to be considered on merit, she added
China is not opposed to India's entry to the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group and is only focused on procedure, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said today. Regarding Pakistan's bid to enter to the NSG - the nation China is batting for -- she said applications should be considered on merit.
China has been leading a group of nations that are holding out against India's membership to the 48-nation nuclear club that trades in advanced nuclear material and technology.
"We hope to become a member of the NSG by year-end. China doesn't oppose India's membership, China is speaking about procedure," Ms Swaraj said, adding that India was hopeful that it will be able to convince China to give its backing. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India can scuttle its bid.
The minister added that she had spoken to 23 nations on India's membership to NSG. Of these, 21 had no problem, the remaining two had some questions.
On Pakistan, she said, "We wouldn't like to oppose anyone's entry to the nuke club. But we would like every country's application to be considered on merit."
The minister's comments come days after foreign secretary S Jaishankar visited China and canvassed the issue of the NSG a week ahead of the plenary meeting of the group scheduled to be held in Seoul on June 24, where India's membership is likely to be discussed.
In a visit to Switzerland and Mexico earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi managed to turn around the views of the two nations which were also opposed to India's membership.
The US has already extended its support for India's inclusion in the NSG. British Premier David Cameron has also assured PM Modi of the UK's "firm support" for India's membership. Russia and Switzerland have also backed India's entry.
New Delhi already enjoys most of the benefits of NSG membership under a 2008 exemption to the NSG rules to clear the decks for nuclear deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty -- the main global arms control pact.