India ready for NSG membership, says Trump administration

THE US on Wednesday said it is working with India and NSG members to push for New Delhi’s membershipintheelitegrouping, indicating that there is no change in America’s policy on the issue under the Trump administration.

“The United States supports India’s full membership in the four multilateral export control regimes, and we believe that India is ready for NSG membership,” a State Department spokesperson told PTI.

The spokesperson was responding to questions on the position of the Trump administration on India’s bid to be a member of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

The US and India have been working on this issue since the Bushadministrationdays.despite itsbesteffort,theobamaadministration could not get the job done duetooppositionfromchina.the baton now has been passed on to the Trump administration.

“We have worked and continue to work closely with our Indian counterparts and the NSG Participating Governments to help advance India’s case for membership,” the State Department official said, indicating that there has been no change in the US policy towards India’s NSG membership bid under the Trump administration.

The key to India’s membership now lies with China.

It is not clear if new US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, whowouldbeinchinathisweek, would be raising this issue with the Chinese leadership or if President Donald Trump is ready to take up the issue himself as was done by President George Bush. PTI