Apart from China, these countries opposed India's NSG bid

New Delhi, June 25: Not just China, but four other countries in the 48 member NSG group raised the NPT issue which proved to be a stumbling block for India which made a bid to enter the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group. The plenary concluded at Seoul on Friday without any movement on India's application.

The countries that pressed for a criteria based process to allow non NPT members into the NSG was raised by China, Brazil, Switzerland, Mexico and Turkey. Both Mexico and Switzerland had assured Delhi of support when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon them.

Criteria based process

The five countries insisted that a criteria based process be followed for allowing non NPT members into the NSG. Turkey on the other hand sought to push applications made both by India and Pakistan. The Pakistan application was never taken up.

India prior to the meeting had told the NSG members that the issue of NPT had been addressed. It said back in 2008 itself, India had got a waiver. India now hopes that the issue of non NPT members will be taken up at a special plenary of the NSG likely to be held in November.

The statement that was released after the meet stated that the meet discussed the legal, technical and political aspects of non NPT countries. The governments reiterated firm support for the implementation of NPT as cornerstone of international non proliferation regime.

OneIndia News