US renews appeal to members on allowing India entry to NSG

While Delhi continues trying to lobby those opposing this country's entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), its American counterpart called on all its members to support our entry.

This is a group of 48 countries seeking to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that could be used to manufacture these.

The NSG’s plenary is scheduled to meet in Seoul, South Korea, next week to take a decision on India’s request for membership. At the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to Tashkent to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. India, with Pakistan, is likely to be admitted to the latter six-member group's Summit on June 23-24. Other members of the SCO are four Central Asian countries, Russia and China.

China is among the countries disinclined to India’s entry to NSG. However, government sources in Delhi say Beijing has never been explicit in its opposition. It is likely the Indian side could have an opportunity to discuss the issue with the Chinese leadership on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Uzbekistan. Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Friday for a three- nation visit, including attending the Tashkent meet.

In Washington, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said: "The US calls on NSG participating governments to support India's application when it comes up at the NSG plenary.” Secretary of State John Kerry has already written to NSG members in this regard.

Most of the 48 NSG members have backed India’s membership. Those who do note argue India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). China also wants NSG to admit Pakistan if India were to be allowed in.

India has argued the NSG admitted a non-NPT signatory in the past, France. It also points to its record in the nuclear energy sector. India had received a country-specific NSG waiver in 2008. 0It points to having carried out a separation of its civil and nuclear installations and put in places NSG-recommended additional protocols and safeguards.