China, others stonewall India's NSG bid

Modi meets Xi as India pins hopes on Friday meeting

Thursday’s special session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) plenary in Seoul concluded without a decision on India’s membership application. It was decided to continue discussions on Friday, although reports indicated at least six countries, including China, opposed NSG membership to countries that are not signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). India is not a signatory to the NPT.

In Tashkent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a 50-minute meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that much of the meeting was “devoted” to the question of Chinese support to India’s membership to the NSG. Modi “urged” Xi that Beijing should “make a fair and objective assessment of India’s application and judge it on its own merit.” The PM said Beijing should “contribute to the emerging consensus in Seoul,” the MEA official said.

Swarup, however, didn’t comment on what the Chinese leader’s response was, suggesting that Xi didn’t proffer any assurance. “It is a complex and delicate process. We are waiting (to see) what kind of news comes from Seoul. I will not make any more comment on this,” he said.

China has also argued that if NSG allows entry to India, then Pakistan should also be allowed. Officials said India’s argument that China should look at New Delhi’s application on its own merit was to convey to Beijing that it should “de-hyphenate” India and Pakistan on this issue.

According to reports from Seoul, India’s entry to the NSG was also opposed by Turkey, Austria, New Zealand, Ireland and Brazil.

They argued no exception should be made to NSG’s guidelines. The question of India’s membership wasn’t part of the official agenda but was taken up at a post-dinner special session, Press Trust of India reported. This was after Japan and some other member countries suggested the issue of India’s membership bid be discussed. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is currently in Seoul.

Sources advised against jumping to conclusions on India’s bid having suffered a setback. They said the final day of the two-day plenary on Friday needs to be watched.

In Tashkent, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain met the Chinese President and thanked him for supporting Pakistan’s case for NSG membership. Hussain told Xi that any “exception” in granting membership to the NSG will “disturb” strategic stability in South Asia. Hussain said Pakistan was committed to the timely completion of all the projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). President Xi said Pakistan and China are “iron brothers” and both nations enjoy an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

In Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesman said Pakistan’s application for NSG membership should be considered “simultaneously” with that of India on the basis of “uniform and non-discriminatory” criteria.

The NSG controls the nuclear trade in the world. Unlike India, Pakistan’s record has been patchy with its nuclear scientist AQ Khan having leaked nuclear secrets to North Korea.