Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a blitz of bilateral talks come September, with focus on nuclear energy in each of the crucial meetings planned. Sources have confirmed to The Hindu that Mr. Modi is expected to travel to Japan on August 31, and will welcome Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to Delhi immediately upon his return on September 3.
Later in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to India, and on September 30, Mr Modi will be in Washington to meet President Obama.
At each of these meetings, The Hindu has learnt, nuclear issues will be prominent on the agenda and key to India’s pitch for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), that the 48-member NSG has so far not accepted.
India renewed its bid for the NSG membership when the board met in June and ratified an additional protocol with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) for oversight of two more reactors.