Japan on Tuesday strongly supported India’s bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and said it was working with the Indian Government to garner support from other countries ahead of the bloc’s crucial plenary meeting.
“I hope that India will be the part of the NSG. Japan is working with India to make sure that it becomes a member of the NSG. We are talking to Indian Government on how India can get more support from other countries,” Kenji Hiramatsu, Japan’s envoy to India, said.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to pay a “reciprocal” visit to Japan this year, adding no date has been finalised. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had visited India in December last year.
On finalising the nitty-gritty relating to the broad agreement for cooperation in civil nuclear energy between India and Japan, inked in December last year, the envoy said both countries were working on it and that there was no “road blocks” or any “major pending issues.” He, however, did not give any time line.