Don’t link India’s NSG entry with Pakistan: India to China

BEIJING: India has utilised Pranab Mukherjee’s maiden visit to China as President to send a message that it should be allowed entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group ( NSG) on the basis of its own credentials and not linked in any way to Pakistan.

China, a member of NSG, has publicly blocked India’s entry into the 48-member group apparently at the behest of its ally Pakistan on the grounds that India has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Mukherjee on Thursday met top Chinese leaders to discuss a slew of political and strategic issues. India wants admission to the NSG on the basis of its own impeccable non-proliferation record, people familiar with the matter said.

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“NSG membership cannot be linked with NPT...it is linked with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). India has closely cooperated with IAEA,” said one of the persons who did not wish to be identified.

India has said that its case should be judged independently without prejudice or on requests to block it following lobbying from other countries, the person said. In 2008, China was among the last few countries to lift its objection to clean waiver by NSG to India. During American President Barack Obama’s visit to India in January 2015, the US had announced that India was ready to join the NSG. This position was reiterated by the US recently.