Modi discusses NSG issue with Turkish President

Hangzhou (China), Sep 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday raised the issue of India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) during a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan here -- two months after Ankara joined a group of countries to block India's bid to the 48-member bloc.

The meeting between the two on the sidelines of the G20 Summit here was their second after Modi visited Turkey in November last year and held a bilateral meeting with Erdogan.

On June 22-23, Turkey had teamed up with countries, including Brazil, Austria and Ireland, that had opposed India's bid for membership of NSG at a plenary in Seoul.

"The issue was discussed," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told reporters here after the meeting.

Modi is also understood to have discussed the NSG issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday. Beijing had led the bloc of 10 countries that opposed New Delhi's entry to the elite nuclear trade grouping.

China opposes India's entry to the NSG because of its non-signatory status to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

IANS