Yashwant Sinha slams Modi Govt. for projecting 'desperate' image to join NSG

Asserting that there was no need for India to project a 'desperate' image to the world in an attempt to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Sunday alleged that New Delhi would be nothing but a 'loser' if it joined the elite group.

Speaking to ANI here, Sinha asserted he strongly felt that India should not accept NSG membership, stating that we should be satisfied with just the waiver.

"In June 2013, the NSG in its norms said that the non-NPT states like India will not be allowed enrichment and re-processing technology and our deal with America was that if India separately created industries for enrichment and re-processing technology, they will give us those two machineries. Then America, our good friend, changed stance and made the amendment that non NPT nations must not be given those technologies. Then what are we going to get from NSG?" Sinha said.

The former union minister further said that there were certain people within the Centre who had mislead the NDA regime before on this matter as well and were doing it again.

"I would forcefully like to say that we will be the loser if we join the NSG and that there is no profit for us. In the Centre, there are the same people sitting in power, who misled us in the matter before. And they are misleading the current government as well. We are happy outside the NSG," Sinha added.

Accusing the present Modi Government of indulging in 'public tamashas', the Congress Party earlier dubbed the BJP-led NDA government as 'desperate', saying this kind of hectic campaigning was not required for entry into the elite NSG.

"It is an embarrassment for India to do what was not required. When there are no obstacles when it comes to nuclear trade with the NSG countries, it was unnecessary. We do not know why India showed its desperation and allowed India to be equated with Pakistan on the issue of NSG membership," Congress leader Anand Sharma told ANI.

On Friday, China said that the NSG will not discuss its membership bid into the elite group, adding that New Delhi will first have to sign the NPT, as it is a must and a major criteria set up by the NSG.

Speaking to ANI in Seoul, Director-General of the Arms Control Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Wang Qun, asserted that India's membership has 'never ever' been on the agenda of the NSG and that there is no such agenda item for the two-day plenary, adding that there is no point of China opposing or supporting India as well as the membership of other countries.

However, India remained buoyant asserting that an early decision on its application remains in larger global interest and India's participation in the NSG will further strengthen nuclear non-proliferation and make global nuclear commerce more secure.