Chinese opposition a major obstacle for India
Today, India is at a critical juncture wherein Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to marshall support from various nations for India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Understandably, Modi must re-work the possible strategic and diplomatic roadblocks between India and China so that the latter can be convinced about our urgent need to be a part of the NSG. In fact, Modi's pro-active diplomatic moves, backed by a strong nationalist rigour, can definitely consider India being part of a multilateral global leadership than simply harping on the unilateral approach it seems to move on right now in regard to its forays in Iran or Afghanistan. While stepping into the tumultuous terrains of Afghanistan, India is having to deal with Pakistan and China in building peace in the war-torn country. It seems once China gets an opportunity to enter into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), it may consider backing India for NSG. But then, China is pushing for Pakistan's membership in the NSG and now the latter is trying to rope in America's support for the same. It must be made clear here that Pakistan's persistent claims in crucial international forums like the NSG is predominantly to create a potential stumbling block for India's march into the said groups than China's direct opposition to the same. Pakistan being an old ally of China, significantly featuring into its geopolitical and economic interests, the latter mostly situates both its political and diplomatic mechanism like that of the veto power in such a position that India finds it difficult to wade through.
India's bid for the membership at the elite NSG is currently opposed by China. As India has received a positive nod from 34 member club of nations to enter into the coveted MTCR early this week, it now creates much hope for the country's road to the NSG group with the support of Switzerland, America and Mexico. America wants India to be a member of the NSG, which was indeed started with strong initiatives during the time of former US President George W Bush, for widening and strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation treaty though India has not signed the treaty as yet. Pakistan is working hard at home and abroad to prevent India's membership into the NSG as it would give the latter enough opportunity to develop fissile material and technology for making the country's civil nuclear programme eventually leading to a robust military nuclear arsenal. Hence, Pakistan’s constant claim that India's entry into the NSG would propel a huge nuclear arms race in South Asia is just fear-mongering. Also, Pakistan is against signing another crucial treaty, the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty which ensures a permanent cap on enhancing fissile material. When it comes to China, it wants that same set of norms to be followed for both India and Pakistan to be in the NSG so that it will be easier for its ally to get the membership. Else many of the nations are opposing Pakistan's entry for its clandestine proliferation of nuclear technology in the past to rouge states like that of North Korea, libya, Iran etc. Now it depends how India can pursue both America and the European Union as both have a critical role to play in China's membership of the MTCR. This may position India better to be a member of the NSG sooner or later.