INDIA LOSES ITS NSG BID, SLAMS CHINA
Switzerland says India is not a signatory to NPT
Seoul, June 24: India on Friday failed in its determined bid to clinch membership of NSG in the face of strong China-led opposition after which it gave vent to its unhappiness over the hurdles created by Beijing.
In a clear setback to its efforts to join the 48nation grouping, a twoday NSG plenary ended here after deciding against accepting India’s membership application, amidst reports that Switzerland did a U-turn by opposing India’s entry into the NSG. Full report on Page 7
In a big blow to India’s ambitions of joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), China scuttled its entry bid at the NSG plenary meet in Seoul on Friday following which an upset New Delhi, without making a direct reference to Beijing, lashed out at it, saying that procedural hurdles were persistently raised by “one country” at the plenary meet.
The plenary meeting ended in the South Korean Capital with no decision on India’s membership bid as divisions persisted over admitting non-NPT members with China leading the opposition to it.
News agency reports from Seoul said that while 38 out of the 48 NSG members backed India, China opposed India’s entry vociferously while some other countries including Brazil, Switzerland, Turkey, Austria, Ireland and New Zealand were also opposed to India’s entry because it is not a signatory to the Nuclear NPT, indicating that Beijing was not alone in its supposed concerns.
Switzerland — which had supported the Indian bid during PM Modi’s recent visit there — reportedly made a U-turn of sorts which has jolted India. India strongly hinted in its reaction that entry to the NSG was linked to its commitments on climate change in the Paris agreement which could now get impacted.
India is now bracing for a long haul and will live to fight another day whenever the grouping meets next.
We understand that despite procedural hurdles persistently raised by one country, a three-hour-long discussion took place last night on the issue of future participation in the NSG — VIKAS SWARUP, MEA spokesperson