India makes fresh push to gain NSG entry

With no change in China’s stand, a positive outcome unlikely

India’s bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group will be centre-stage again this week as the group meets for the Consultative Group technical meeting on September 9-10, followed by the Plenary session in Vienna on Friday.

The government hopes its application will be considered again, five months after the last unsuccessful round.

Diplomatic engagements

A flurry of diplomatic activity since then has focused on all the countries, including China, that didn’t back India’s bid.

While a slew of leaders from New Zealand, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa, all NSG countries that have hardline positions, have been invited to India in the past month, India’s nuclear negotiators have travelled to other countries, who are still unconvinced about the issue of non-signatories to the Non Proliferations Treaty(NPT) — like India — being made members of the nuclear club.

Chinese hurdle

Earlier this week, Amandeep Singh Gill, joint secretary (Disarmament) travelled to Dublin to soften Ireland’s position, and also met with Chinese nuclear negotiator Wang Qun in Beijing on October 31. Other contacts have been made by MEA officials and missions abroad in the 48 member countries of the NSG.

However, with China making it clear that it’s position hasn’t changed, and little movement in the objections of other countries on the issue of the NPT, officials are calling it a “long haul”, given that the NSG works by consensus.

“This Friday, in Vienna, a plenary session of the NSG will be held. Our position is subject to no change as of date,” Lu Kang, spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a media briefing in Beijing on Tuesday, dashing India’s hopes of a clear path to its membership this week.

Process may begin

At best, said one diplomatic source, India will hope that a process will be set into motion to define criteria for non signatories to the NPT, but that the criteria will broadly fit India’s credentials as a non-proliferator. India, Pakistan, Israel and South Sudan are all non-signatories of NPT, of which India and Pakistan have both applied for NSG membership this year.

Meanwhile, India has been working with its support base that includes the U.S., Japan, Australia and South Korea, that has been exerting its influence as the new Chairperson of the NSG to push for India’s case.

India also hopes Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Tokyo on November 11, that coincides with the NSG Plenary session, will boost India’s non-proliferation image, as India and Japan are expected to announce their civil nuclear accord.

The U.S., that has backed India, said it remained optimistic about India’s chances of NSG membership by the year-end.