Europe may tilt after Switzerland's nod to India's NSG entry

NEW DELHI: Switzerland's commitment to India on Monday to support its membership at the coveted Nuclear Supplier's Group (NSG) is a big boost for the Modi government as it may move the naysayers among NSG member states from Europe to tilt in India's favour.

It is not just China that is holding out to India's membership to the 48-member coveted group. It has been reliably learnt that few European nations, including NSG member states Austria and Ireland are opposed to India's case on grounds of India's status as a non-NPT signatory country. These countries besides some states Nordic have strong positions on non-proliferation issues.

This is the same group, which along with Switzerland and New Zealandhad opposed clean waiver for India by NSG in 2008, but finally relented. In fact some of these countries were among the last to lift objections against clean waiver to India in 2008 even after China had agreed after its objections.

Under such circumstances, a green signal from Swiss in 2016 is significant ahead of NSG plenary on June 23-24 in Seoul, where India's membership will be discussed. India's case might also come up in June 9 meeting in Vienna. India has been pushing for membership of the grouping for last few years and had formally moved its application on May 12.

Also read: To be or not to be: Will India's NSG dream takeoff?

After a meeting with Narendra Modi in Geneva on Monday, Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann, said, "We have promised India support in its efforts to become a member of NSG."

"I am thankful to the President for Switzerland's understanding and support for India's membership of the NSG," Modi said in his press statement following his meeting. In fact, one of two key objectives of Modi's trip to this Western European country was to secure support for India's entry into coveted club besides discussing effective mechanism to share information on tax evaders, who have stashed money in the Swiss banks. India has been kept out from the NSG because of its refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty while it developed its nuclear technology.