All issues taken up with China: MEA on NSG entry

In the backdrop of China's continued efforts to block its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), India today said it has taken up with Beijing all issues concerning it during the recent Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Dialogue between the two sides.

"Both at the working level and at different interactions, we have, the issues which are of concern to us, taken up with the Chinese side," Raveesh Kumar, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, said.

He was asked about the fifth round of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Dialogue between India and China held in Beijing early this week.

The Dialogue is a key platform to discuss international security and disarmament issues. China has been blocking India's entry into the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in the last two years on the grounds that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) even though a majority of its 48 members supported New Delhi's case.

Pakistan, China's all-weather ally, too had applied for NSG membership in 2016.

Barring the NSG, India has gained entry in the remaining three important export control regimes--- Missile Technology Control Regime, Wassenaar Agreement and the Australia Group.

During the talks, India and China exchanged views on various topics of mutual interest, including developments related to disarmament and non-proliferation at multilateral forums, nuclear issues, role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament as well as outer space, the Indian Embassy in Beijing had said in a statement after the Dialogue.

"Both sides underlined the importance of the bilateral dialogue as an important mechanism between the two countries for consultations on important issues," it said, but made no reference to India's NSG membership issue.

The Indian delegation at the talks was led by Pankaj Sharma, Joint Secretary (Disarmament and International Security Affairs) in the MEA, while the Chinese side was led by Wang Qun, Director General of Department of Arms Control at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.