BackIndia’s hopes alive as NSG plans to meet again
NSG is likely to discuss the process for allowing non-NPT signatories like India, into the group, keeping India's chances alive of becoming a member this year
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New Delhi: The 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) has decided to meet again later this year to discuss the process for allowing non-Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signatories like India, into the group, keeping alive New Delhi’s chances of becoming a member this year, a person familiar with the development said on Sunday.
India missed a chance to join the group last week as the NSG’s plenary session met in Seoul on 23-24 June to consider New Delhi’s application. India’s failure was mainly attributed to strong opposition from China.
According to the person cited above, the NSG, which sets the rules for global nuclear commerce, has decided to meet again later this year to discuss the process for allowing countries like India to become members.
The suggestion that another meeting be held this year came from Mexico and was opposed by China, a second person aware of the development said. But the Chinese objections were later set aside. There are no dates yet but it is likely to take place towards the end of 2016.
That Switzerland would be the next chair of the NSG was a matter of satisfaction for India given its more sympathetic outlook towards India’s candidature, the first person cited above said. Though Switzerland had raised some objections to India’s membership, the first person said that were China to drop its objections, no other country, including Switzerland, would have stood in the way of India becoming a member of the NSG.
The NSG has also set up a panel for informal consultations on India’s membership to be headed by Argentine Ambassador Rafael Grossi, the person said.
A Press Trust of India report said a senior US official had spoken of “a path forward" for India to become a full member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group by the end of the year, saying, “We are confident that we have got a path forward by the end of this year."
“It needs some work. But we are confident that India would be a full member of the (NSG) regime by the end of the year," the unnamed US official was quoted as saying by PTI.
India’s attempts to become a member during the NSG’s Seoul plenary failed this week as China effectively scuttled the bid, refusing to even discuss India’s case specifically. Other countries like Switzerland and Brazil also raised issues regarding setting a common criteria for non-NPT states, along with discussing India’s bid, while countries like Ireland and New Zealand wanted the criteria to be spelt out first.
The NSG’s special meeting later this year gives India another window of opportunity but China remains a challenge. Beijing snubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outreach to President Xi Jinping in Tashkent on Thursday to push for India’s case. India later attacked China in its official statement, saying “one country" had raised procedural hurdles repeatedly to its membership.
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