PM discusses India’s NSG bid with Turkey

HANGZHOU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed India’s NSG membership bid with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and raised the issue of Scorpene submarine

HANGZHOU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed India’s NSG membership bid with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and raised the issue of Scorpene submarine data leak with French President Francois Holland on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Monday.

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On the final day of the summit here, Modi met Erdogan and Hollande in separate “pull-aside” meetings. Modi also raised the issues of black money and tax evasion, urging member countries to take action against financial corruption. India is assessing the vulnerability of the mainstay of its future submarine fleet after the leak of the cache of secret documents detailing the combat capabilities of the French-designed submarines.

The discussion with Er dog an on the NS G was significant as Turkey was among the few countries — along with China — that stalled India’ s bid to join the elite grouping at its plenary meeting in Seoul. China had then raised objection saying India was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Modi earlier me this British counter part Theresa May and told her that India’s relations with the UK will remain strong despite the Brexit vote.

This was Modi’s first bilateral with May who succeeded David Cameron after he stepped down following UK’s decision to exit the European Union in June.

Modi’s Sunday meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping was the eighth meeting between the two and their second in three months following the SCO summit meeting in June 23 in Uzbekistan. The meeting lasted for about 35 minutes, and the two were known to have touched upon all major issues that currently define the tenuous bilateral relations.

Modi told Xi that India has worked to make closer developmental partnership with China. He highlighted that “we have been successful in maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border. Modi said he always had a strategic vision for India-China relations. The partnership is not only important for the two countries but for the entire region and the world.

“As a matter of principle, both countries would have to be sensitive to each other’s strategic interests. In order to promote positive convergences, we would also need to prevent the growth of negative perceptions. “For this, specific actions by both countries play a major role,” Modi was quoted as having told the Chinese President by Vikas Swarup, spokes person of the ministry of external affairs.

(Within puts from agencies)