India’s quest of NSG membership featured prominently during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Switzerland, the USA and Mexico part of his five-nation trip which began on Saturday.
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The two countries also welcomed collaboration in space science, earth observation, climate and environmental studies, and the efficient use of space-related resources available in India as well as in Mexico for remote sensing, advance warning for disaster prevention and launch of satellites between the Mexican Space Agency (AEM) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the joint statement said. India’s membership is being strongly supported by the US.
Some among those countries that were opposed to India’s admission to the group, including South Africa, New Zealand and Turkey, softened their stance somewhat, opening the door to a process under which non-NPT states such as India might join, diplomats said. China believes that India can not be a part of this because India has yet not signed the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty.
Most of those opposing India’s joining the group argued the country should only be admitted under criteria that apply equally to all states rather than under a “tailor-made” solution for a USA ally.
“This [NSG membership] has been an objective that we have pursued for many years now”, said Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar. It was set up in response to India’s first nuclear test in 1974.
The 48 member nations meet on June 9 and June 10 where India and Pakistan’s applications will be reviewed.
This week’s reported nuclear breakthroughs were seen as a major point of progress for Modi, who has placed new urgency on India’s nuclear ambitions with the aim of vastly expanding atomic power to account for about half of the country’s total electricity supply by 2050.
Pakistan’s joining the NSG, however, would be unacceptable to many members, given its clandestine nuclear track record – the father of its N-weapons programme sold nuclear secrets to several countries, including North Korea and Iran.
The workaround solution seems to be ameliorating concerns; the Toshiba-backed US energy giant Westinghouse Electric Co. said this week it is finalizing a contract to build six nuclear reactors in southern India.
Detractors argued that granting India membership will further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. 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.
FICCI welcomes the historic meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Barack Obama in Washington DC and the operationalization of the India US Civil Nuclear Deal.
Share with Us – We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article, and smart, constructive criticism. However, reports from Vienna said that China was leading the opposition to India’s membership.
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The Prime Minister also addressed the US Congress during which he forcefully put India’s stand on various crucial issues like terrorism and India’s culture of tolerance and equality and freedom of all faiths.
