New Delhi: China has said that India's admission to the elite Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) is not on the agenda of the grouping that started a plenary session in Seoul today.
The statement is being seen as a rebuff to India's effort to join the NSG, especially a day after Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed optimism and said Beijing is only talking of "procedure".
Top government sources said: "India sees this as a procedural block by China. We remain optimistic but never expected this to be easy. Outcomes are always uncertain."
China has been leading a group of nations that are holding out against India's membership to the 48-nation club that controls access to nuclear technology.
She said opinion within the member countries is divided on including not just India but all countries that are not signatories to the NPT or Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Yesterday, Sushma Swaraj had played down Beijing's opposition and said: "We hope to become a member of the NSG by year-end. China doesn't oppose India's membership, China is speaking about procedure."
India says 21 of 23 nations back its bid. The NSG works on unanimity and even one "no" vote can scuttle India's bid.
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 NPT.
The statement is being seen as a rebuff to India's effort to join the NSG, especially a day after Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed optimism and said Beijing is only talking of "procedure".
Top government sources said: "India sees this as a procedural block by China. We remain optimistic but never expected this to be easy. Outcomes are always uncertain."
China has been leading a group of nations that are holding out against India's membership to the 48-nation club that controls access to nuclear technology.
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She said opinion within the member countries is divided on including not just India but all countries that are not signatories to the NPT or Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
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Yesterday, Sushma Swaraj had played down Beijing's opposition and said: "We hope to become a member of the NSG by year-end. China doesn't oppose India's membership, China is speaking about procedure."
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India says 21 of 23 nations back its bid. The NSG works on unanimity and even one "no" vote can scuttle India's bid.
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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 NPT.
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