Will the Modi, Jinping meet ensure India's entry into the NSG?

All eyes will be on the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President XI Jinping when they meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at Tashkent. The meeting assumed importance as India makes a push to be part of the NSG.

The meeting is of extreme importance as China has been opposing India's entry into the NSG stating that is a non NPT member. Indian officials had said that yesterday that they are hopeful of a fruitful outcome, but were also assessing the situation realistically. The big question is will China have a change of heart so late into the day.

The last resort:

India would want the NSG bid through before Barack Obama steps down as President of the United States of America. Obama has been pushing for India's entry into the NSG. India is not certain of what stands Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump would take on this issue.

Yesterday in a bid to make a last pitch ahead of the Nuclear Suppliers Group meet foreign secretary S Jaishankar left for Seoul yesterday to make a last minute push at Seoul for India' entry into the NSG.

India is making every effort to be part of the NSG. Assessments are being made and the idea is to be realistic and understand every hurdle that may come India's way, an official in New Delhi informed OneIndia. The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 23 however is considered to be most crucial one.

It can go down to the wire too and we are making all efforts, officials working on the issue point out Apart from China, there are chances of opposition from countries such as Ireland, New Zealand and Austria. These nations have always expressed reservations of countries which are non-NPT members being part of the NSG.

On Monday the US called on the NSG members to back India. However China said that discussions should also focus on whether the rules can be changed. The Chinese also said that it was the US which came up with rule in the first place which states that non-NPT countries cannot be part of the NSG.