With just four days to go for the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meet in Seoul, where India’s application for the membership in the elite grouping will be considered, New Delhi has increased its diplomatic efforts to secure support from the 48-member countries. In a bid to secure Chinese support, the Foreign Secretary spent the last two days of the week in Beijing to convince them to look at India’s credentials and track record in the nuclear sector before opposing its candidature on technical points.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday hinted at a consensus building in India’s favour and the hope that the NSG membership may finally come its way. Speaking at her annual Press conference, Sushma clarified that China is not opposed to India’s NSG membership bid, but is only talking about the criteria and procedures to be adopted for it. She added India was hopeful China will back India at the NSG meeting on June 24 in Seoul.
However, Beijing has so far insisted India meet the essential clause of signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty before seeking NSG membership. China is also backing Pakistan in the NSG.
On this, Sushma said instead of talking about criteria with respect to India’s bid, its track record and credentials should be discussed. On Pakistan’s application, Sushma said India being a non-member of the NSG cannot comment on its entry and its role. “We will not oppose entry of any nation to the NSG. We think that the application of each country should be considered on the basis of merit. While talking about India’s credentials, the FS told Chinese authorities that the world should see what India has done since the 2008 waiver,” she added.
Sushma said India was hopeful of convincing China to give its backing in the 48-nation grouping. Though India already has a NSG waiver given in 2008 exempting it from the NSG’s rules governing civilian nuclear trade, the Government has invested a lot of diplomatic capital to secure the membership.
She said India so far has been watching the developments from outside, but now it wants to be part of the decision-making in the elite group which is why membership is crucial. “The difference is same as like sitting out of a room and being in a room on the discussion table. Despite the 2008 waiver, we are sitting out. We are engaged with NSG for the last 12 years and for the last five years, there is talk about our membership with NSG,” Sushma said.
She added India plans to have 40 per cent of its energy requirement from non-fossil fuels out of which one-third will be nuclear, NSG membership is crucial for India’s energy policy and will help India in getting foreign investments in the sector.
The United States of America and Russia have openly backed India and have asked other NSG members to support its bid. However, a number of countries — including China, Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand — are believed to have raised a red flag. Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Switzerland and Mexico recently to secure their support. “I have myself spoken to 23 countries out of which two or three had some queries which we tried to address. It seems a consensus is building and we hope to get the NSG membership this year,” the Minister said while hoping to cross the Great Chinese Wall too.