NSG members fail to decide on India entry

Bern/New Delhi, June 24

A plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) has failed to take a decision on India’s application for its membership, but decided to discuss in November the issue of entry of non-NPT signatories.

China, a key member of the NSG, has been stridently opposing India’s bid primarily on the grounds that New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Its opposition has made India’s entry into the grouping difficult as the NSG works on the principle of consensus.

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The 48-nation elite grouping said its relationship with India was discussed, particularly about implementation of the 2008 statement on civil nuclear cooperation with New Delhi.

In 2008, the NSG had agreed to grant India a unique waiver from its rules governing civilian nuclear trade, paving the way for the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal. Last week, China had said there was no change in its stance on admission of non-NPT states into the NSG. The issue has become a major sticking point in bilateral relations between India and China. — PTI