His remarks came after China said that India’s membership was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul.
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Vehemently opposing India’s NSG bid, Chinese official media in first comments since China’s objection said today that New Delhi’s membership will not only touch a “raw nerve” in and increase a nuclear arms race but also “jeopardise” Beijing’s national interests.
China on Tuesday underlined its view that the Nuclear Suppliers Group should focus on agreeing criteria for the entry of new members rather than on India’s specific case, but said the “door is still open” for continuing discussions. “I am hopeful that we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG”, Swaraj said in a press briefing.
Hua acknowledged that foreign secretary S Jaishakar visited Beijing last week to discuss India’s membership of the NSG, citing India’s growing demands for clean energy, and concerns regarding climate change, as the basis for its membership.
“I think a consensus is being made, and I don’t think any country will break that consensus, and this time we will get the NSG membership”, Ms. Swaraj told reporters at the MEA’s annual press conference, adding that she had personally spoken to 23 of the 48 countries in the NSG. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry.
State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in a press briefing that the U.S. has not changed its stand regarding India’s membership in the elite group.
Extremist organizations like RSS, Abhinav Bharat and Shiv Sena and their relations and influence with the Indian government were the biggest hurdle in bringing Pakistan-India relations to normalcy, he said.
To another query, he said that Pakistan’ application for NSG membership was prepared some three months ago, however the plan was to follow Indian application. “China doesn’t oppose India’s membership, China is speaking about procedure”. “If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone”, he suggests. “But we will not oppose entry of any nation to the NSG”.
“The United States, as you know, strongly supports India’s application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group”, Earnest said.
Swaraj said the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad had met the authorites on the issue twice and “they said they are analysing (the evidence)”. She said that Pakistan used to be in a “denial mode” after terror attacks in India but its attitude after Pathankot assault was totally different.
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Later talking to Indian media, Hua said while discussions are going on among the NSG members, the admission of new members is not listed in the current plenary meeting in Seoul. Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Switzerland and Mexico recently to secure their support.
