India's chance of breakthrough look slim as next NSG plenary set to be held in June

The issue of India's membership is expected to be discussed at the Bern meet, but the "status quo" still remains, a senior official says.

The next plenary of the Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG will be held next month at the Swiss capital of Bern. Owing to China's persistent opposition, the chances of a breakthrough on India's entry into the elite group still look slim.

India had officially applied for membership of the grouping which controls export of nuclear materials, equipment and technology in May last year. The matter came up for discussion at the Seoul plenary session of the NSG in June last year, but yielded little result with Beijing+ scuttling India's bid on the ground that it was not a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

Ahead of the next NSG plenary session, official sources say, India has renewed its efforts to become a member of the 48-nation group by engaging with all member countries, but resistance from China still remains despite the pro-India push from other key players such as the US, the UK, France and Russia.

China has been pressing for a two-step process which includes setting up criteria - a standard for admission - for the inclusion of countries that are not signatories to the NPT. Beijing also equates India's case with Pakistan, which, too, has applied for the NSG membership.

The issue of India's membership is expected to be discussed at the Bern meet, but the "status quo" still remains, a senior official says.

OneIndia News