BEIJING: The door to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) hasn’t been slammed shut for India, China said on Friday as it pointed out that New Delhi had wrongly blamed Beijing for being kept out of the elite club in June.
The NSG door was “not tightly closed” for India, China said, adding the entry would depend on safeguarding the global non-proliferation regime. The remarks in a commentary by state-run Xinhua news agency came as foreign minister Wang Yi began a visit to India.
This is probably the first time since June that China has cautiously indicated India could become a member of the NSG, which controls trade in sensitive nuclear technology.
The commentary by Xinhua – which functions under the State Council or cabinet – also indicated China could have softened its hard tone on India’s entry to the NSG.
“So far, there is no precedent for a non-NPT signatory to become a NSG member. Many inside the body that monitors the global flow of nuclear materials insist prudence in handing a membership card to any non-treaty party,” the commentary said.
“However, New Delhi should not be downhearted as the door to the NSG is not tightly closed. But any future discussions need to be based on safeguarding an international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism, in which India itself has a huge stake.”
{{/usCountry}}“However, New Delhi should not be downhearted as the door to the NSG is not tightly closed. But any future discussions need to be based on safeguarding an international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism, in which India itself has a huge stake.”
{{/usCountry}}The plenary meeting of the 48-member NSG at Seoul in June had ended with India being kept out of the group. Reports said China was the most vocal opponent to India’s entry.