India in Talks with China on NSG Membership Issue - Minister

NSG members had discussed the issue of India’s admittance to the Seoul plenary, but at least five countries, including Switzerland and China, opposed the proposal on grounds that India was not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

India has continuously been pursuing it's Nuclear Supplier's Group (NSG) ambition and it has been in touch with China on garnering the support of its northern support in gaining entry into the elite 48-member group that deals with fissile materials and nuclear technology.

India's minister of external affairs said on Thursday that the latest round of discussions with China was held in April this year.
"The Government is engaged with all NSG members including China at the appropriate levels for a decision on India's application for membership of the Group. In this regard, the most recent talks were held in Beijing on April 10, 2018," VK Singh, India's minister of state for external affairs, told Parliament on Thursday.

India had been trying to win over China's confidence on the matter, but a protracted military standoff at the Doklam plateau last summer further strained relations between the neighbors, which had already been locking horns over certain areas of the disputed border.

Nevertheless, since the informal Wuhan summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year, both countries have been engaging positively on the military, as well as the diplomatic, front.
"All established institutional mechanisms including Special Representatives Talks, meetings of Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, border personnel meetings, flag meetings, as well as diplomatic channels continue to be utilized to address matters related to India-China border affairs," VK Singh added.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources told Sputnik that India would once again pursue its entry into the NSG, considering its non-proliferation track record. The next NSG meeting is scheduled for December this year.

India is a member of three major export control regimes, including the Australia Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Wassenaar Arrangement.

 sputniknews