On the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit (SCO), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
President Xi welcomed India&rsquo;s accession to the SCO and said that India&#39;s induction into the elite body would strengthen it; PM Modi thanked President Xi for China&rsquo;s support of India&rsquo;s membership of the SCO.&nbsp; 
 
Modi then spoke of the Nuclear Suppliers` Group (NSG) plenary meeting in Seoul which is reportedly discussing India&rsquo;s membership of the NSG. He also urged China to make a fair and objective assessment of India&rsquo;s application and judge it on its own merit. He further said China should contribute to the emerging consensus in Seoul.&nbsp; 
 
Pertinently, the meeting of the two-day 26th Plenary of the NSG top body heads of delegation discussion, continues here on Friday to discuss India`s application for membership to the elite club. 
 
Highly placed sources have told ANI that China is not the sole opponent to India`s membership to the NSG, but Brazil, Austria, Ireland, Turkey and New Zealand too have opposed India`s entry, citing it`s not being a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) for nuclear weapons and weapons technology. Mexico, however, backed India&rsquo;s membership. 
 
Sources further said the meet also did not discuss the induction of Pakistan into the elite group.&nbsp; 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

President Xi welcomed India?s accession to the SCO and said that India's induction into the elite body would strengthen it

On the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit (SCO), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent on Thursday. President Xi welcomed India’s accession to the SCO and said that India's induction into the elite body would strengthen it; PM Modi thanked President Xi for China’s support of India’s membership of the SCO. Modi then spoke of the Nuclear Suppliers` Group (NSG) plenary meeting in Seoul which is reportedly discussing India’s membership of the NSG. He also urged China to make a fair and objective assessment of India’s application and judge it on its own merit. He further said China should contribute to the emerging consensus in Seoul. Pertinently, the meeting of the two-day 26th Plenary of the NSG top body heads of delegation discussion, continues here on Friday to discuss India`s application for membership to the elite club. Highly placed sources have told ANI that China is not the sole opponent to India`s membership to the NSG, but Brazil, Austria, Ireland, Turkey and New Zealand too have opposed India`s entry, citing it`s not being a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) for nuclear weapons and weapons technology. Mexico, however, backed India’s membership. Sources further said the meet also did not discuss the induction of Pakistan into the elite group. (Agencies)

Modi meets Jinping, urges China to fairly asses India's NSG bid

The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the applications of Pakistan and India for the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) could not be considered in isolation from the goal of maintaining strategic stability in South Asia. 
 
&quot;It has been Islamabad&rsquo;s consistent position that the question of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership for non-NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory) states must be dealt with in accordance with a single, uniform, non-discriminatory and fair criteria,&quot; said Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs&nbsp;spokesperson Mohammed Nafees Zakaria, while answering a question on efforts put in by Pakistan to block India&#39;s entry in the NSG during a media briefing in Islamabad on Thursday. 
 
He added, &quot;It is absolutely essential for the NSG to consider the Indian and Pakistani applications simultaneously and in an even-handed manner.&quot; And that Islamabad has been making efforts to muster support of the NSG members for its membership, 
 
Zakaria also said&nbsp;&quot;Pakistan&#39;s NSG membership is in the interest of nuclear trading countries as it will further promote NSG&rsquo;s non-proliferation objectives by the inclusion of a state with nuclear supply capabilities and its adherence to NSG Guidelines.&quot; 
 
Earlier in the day, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that exception for NSG membership could disturb strategic stability in South Asia. 
 
&quot;Pakistan has made notable efforts over the years to strengthen its export controls, command and control and nuclear safety and security. The President also said that any exception given for NSG membership could disturb strategic stability in South Asia,&quot; MoFA said in a statement. 
 
PaHussain, who held a bilateral meeting with the Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Head of State Council Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), discussed the subject of Pakistan&#39;s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).India is seeking its induction into the elite group of NSG. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Membership of Pakistan, it added, is in the interest of nuclear-trading countries

The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the applications of Pakistan and India for the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) could not be considered in isolation from the goal of maintaining strategic stability in South Asia. "It has been Islamabad’s consistent position that the question of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership for non-NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory) states must be dealt with in accordance with a single, uniform, non-discriminatory and fair criteria," said Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mohammed Nafees Zakaria, while answering a question on efforts put in by Pakistan to block India's entry in the NSG during a media briefing in Islamabad on Thursday. He added, "It is absolutely essential for the NSG to consider the Indian and Pakistani applications simultaneously and in an even-handed manner." And that Islamabad has been making efforts to muster support of the NSG members for its membership, Zakaria also said "Pakistan's NSG membership is in the interest of nuclear trading countries as it will further promote NSG’s non-proliferation objectives by the inclusion of a state with nuclear supply capabilities and its adherence to NSG Guidelines." Earlier in the day, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that exception for NSG membership could disturb strategic stability in South Asia. "Pakistan has made notable efforts over the years to strengthen its export controls, command and control and nuclear safety and security. The President also said that any exception given for NSG membership could disturb strategic stability in South Asia," MoFA said in a statement. PaHussain, who held a bilateral meeting with the Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Head of State Council Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), discussed the subject of Pakistan's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).India is seeking its induction into the elite group of NSG. (ANI)

India-Pak applications to NSG cannot be considered in isolation: Pakistan Foreign Ministry

China&nbsp;led opposition to India&#39;s membership of NSG at a three-hour post-dinner meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group here on Thursday night which ended in a deadlock.&nbsp;

Preceding the two-day plenary of the 48-member NSG, which began today, China had repeatedly said that India&#39;s membership was not on the agenda and is said to have made every effort to prevent any discussion on India&#39;s bid.&nbsp;&nbsp;

However, Japan is believed to have raised India&#39;s case in the morning session after which it was agreed that the matter would be taken up at the special post-dinner meeting.&nbsp;

Indian official sources said that China was joined by Austria, Ireland and Brazil among other countries which questioned as to how a country like India which had not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty(NPT) can be admitted to the grouping.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Essentially their opposition was couched in principles and processes.&nbsp;

Brazil&#39;s objections are said to have surprised the Indian diplomats who pointed out that it is a member of the five-nation BRICS grouping. Besides India and Russia, the grouping includes&nbsp;China and South Africa.&nbsp;

Indian foreign secretary S&nbsp;Jaishankar, who is camping in Seoul, had earlier met the Brazilian delegation.&nbsp;

Officials said that discussions were inconclusive and that it would only be clear before the end of the plenary on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(PTI)&nbsp;

It was joined by others like Austria, Ireland and Brazil. However, Japan supported India in the morning session

China led opposition to India's membership of NSG at a three-hour post-dinner meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group here on Thursday night which ended in a deadlock. Preceding the two-day plenary of the 48-member NSG, which began today, China had repeatedly said that India's membership was not on the agenda and is said to have made every effort to prevent any discussion on India's bid. However, Japan is believed to have raised India's case in the morning session after which it was agreed that the matter would be taken up at the special post-dinner meeting. Indian official sources said that China was joined by Austria, Ireland and Brazil among other countries which questioned as to how a country like India which had not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty(NPT) can be admitted to the grouping. Essentially their opposition was couched in principles and processes. Brazil's objections are said to have surprised the Indian diplomats who pointed out that it is a member of the five-nation BRICS grouping. Besides India and Russia, the grouping includes China and South Africa. Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar, who is camping in Seoul, had earlier met the Brazilian delegation. Officials said that discussions were inconclusive and that it would only be clear before the end of the plenary on Friday. (PTI)

China leads opposition to India's NSG bid at post-dinner meet

<div paraeid="{1d5cfa07-f5ca-48f0-b618-b546694e76c3}{135}" paraid="1126324420">China&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;continued to make ambivalent statements on India&#39;s bid for NSG membership amid clear indications that it was unrelenting in its opposition. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f2672013-37e9-4b95-9075-801549769a5c}{53}" paraid="1565737457" >Clubbing India and Pakistan once again, the Chinese&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;ministry said members of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group&nbsp;(NSG)&nbsp;had three round of unofficial discussions on the membership of the two countries.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f2672013-37e9-4b95-9075-801549769a5c}{110}" paraid="296017869" >Beijing maintained that the entry of the two countries was not on the agenda of the two-day NSG plenary in the South Korean capital Seoul starting&nbsp;Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f2672013-37e9-4b95-9075-801549769a5c}{165}" paraid="1159525383" >Pakistan&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;claimed that it had successfully blocked India&#39;s bid for NSG membership.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;</div>

<div lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f2672013-37e9-4b95-9075-801549769a5c}{205}" paraid="129087424" >Chinese&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;ministry spokesperson Hua&nbsp;Chunying&nbsp;also underlined the differences within NSG members, saying &quot;parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue&quot;. On it&#39;s part Beijing will play a constructive role in the discussions, she said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{1d5cfa07-f5ca-48f0-b618-b546694e76c3}{157}" paraid="1509916973">Meanwhile,&nbsp;the Indian government has&nbsp;dispatched&nbsp;its foreign secretary S&nbsp;Jaishankar&nbsp;to Seoul, South Korea, where the NSG&nbsp;is meeting.&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{1d5cfa07-f5ca-48f0-b618-b546694e76c3}{163}" paraid="2035353146">The preliminary meeting began on&nbsp;June&nbsp;20. The five-day event will conclude with a plenary, which is likely to decide on India&#39;s membership, on 24 June.&nbsp;Argentina is the current chair of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{1d5cfa07-f5ca-48f0-b618-b546694e76c3}{170}" paraid="276324824">New Delhi is hoping that the talks between Indian&nbsp;Prime&nbsp;Minister Narendra&nbsp; Modi and Chinese&nbsp;President Xi Jinping,&nbsp;on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation&nbsp;Organisation&nbsp;summit at Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on&nbsp;June&nbsp;23,&nbsp;will enable it to secure China&#39;s support for India&#39;s membership of the NSG.&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{1d5cfa07-f5ca-48f0-b618-b546694e76c3}{172}" paraid="1756108920"> 
(WION&nbsp;and Agencies)&nbsp;</div>

It had earlier said that the group was yet to decide on the inclusion of new members

China on Wednesday continued to make ambivalent statements on India's bid for NSG membership amid clear indications that it was unrelenting in its opposition. Clubbing India and Pakistan once again, the Chinese foreign ministry said members of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) had three round of unofficial discussions on the membership of the two countries. Beijing maintained that the entry of the two countries was not on the agenda of the two-day NSG plenary in the South Korean capital Seoul starting Thursday. Pakistan on Tuesday claimed that it had successfully blocked India's bid for NSG membership. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also underlined the differences within NSG members, saying "parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue". On it's part Beijing will play a constructive role in the discussions, she said. Meanwhile, the Indian government has dispatched its foreign secretary S Jaishankar to Seoul, South Korea, where the NSG is meeting. The preliminary meeting began on June 20. The five-day event will conclude with a plenary, which is likely to decide on India's membership, on 24 June. Argentina is the current chair of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group. New Delhi is hoping that the talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on June 23, will enable it to secure China's support for India's membership of the NSG. (WION and Agencies)

China unrelenting on opposition to India's NSG bid?

For the first time today, China &ndash; which has been standing in the way of India becoming a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group &ndash; said the door to discussion on the subject &ldquo;is open&rdquo;. But it also took a swipe at the US for backing India&#39;s entry into the group, saying America was one of the countries responsible for the rule that countries which have not signed the NPT (like India) cannot join the NSG. &nbsp; 
 
At the same time the Chinese foreign ministry asked the 48-member NSG to &quot;stay focused&quot; on whether membership criteria to the elite group should be changed. 
 
&quot;I have not seen the US statement supporting India? But US is one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG),&quot; Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a briefing of the media. 
 
&quot;The relevant rule was made on the principle that NPT was the cornerstone of the NSG,&quot; she said. 
 
Hua&#39;s answer came in reply to a question about the US asking members of the NSG to support India&#39;s application. 
 
&quot;The door is open. The room is there. We never said we are against (a country). We did not target any country, India or Pakistan,&quot; Hua said. 
 
China for its part, she said, cares about signing of the NPT as an admission criteria for new members, she said. 
 
&quot;This is the core of the international non-proliferation. If the non-proliferation regime is changed, how can we explain the Iranian nuclear treaty?&quot; Hua argued. 
 
&quot;We just had a treaty with Iran. We have North Korean issues there... So this concerns the core issue whether NPT and non-proliferation system could be impacted by this,&quot; she said. 
 
Reiterating what she said yesterday, Hua stated: &quot;According to my understanding, it (entry of new members) is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul.&quot; 
 
&quot;The door is open for the admission of the non-NPT members. It is never closed. It is open. But the members of the NSG should stay focussed on whether the criteria should be changed and whether non-NPT members should be admitted into the NSG,&quot; she said. 
 
About the US backing India&#39;s bid for membership, Hua said, &quot;We care about rules. US just sets the rules. This is not an issue between China and India but (about) the pillar for non-proliferation system,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
American support for India:&nbsp; 
 
The US has affirmed its support for India joining the NSG and has asked other NSG member states to do so too.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India&#39;s application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG),&quot; White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. 
 
&quot;At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India&#39;s membership,&quot; Earnest said as the annual five-day plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital yesterday. 
 
While the majority of NSG members are backing India&#39;s entry into the NSG, it is understood that &ndash; apart from China &ndash; Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand are not in favour. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country&#39;s vote against India will scuttle its bid. &nbsp; 
 
&#39;If India gets in, so does Pakistan&#39; 
 
China opposes India&#39;s entry, arguing that it has not signed the NPT. But it has been batting for close ally Pakistan&#39;s entry into the NSG should the group allow India any exemptions.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan applied for NSG membership a week after India submitted its application. 
 
India &ndash; citing the case of France, and saying that it&#39;s a precedent &ndash; has said that being a signatory to the NPT is not essential to joining the NSG. 
 
India is seeking membership to the NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. 
 
Access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade in nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market to energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy-generation programme. India is looking at meeting a 63,000 MW-energy requirement by 2030 via its nuclear programme.&nbsp; 
(PTI)

But it takes a swipe at the US, saying they were the ones who said countries that have not signed the NPT, like India, cannot join the NSG

For the first time today, China – which has been standing in the way of India becoming a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group – said the door to discussion on the subject “is open”. But it also took a swipe at the US for backing India's entry into the group, saying America was one of the countries responsible for the rule that countries which have not signed the NPT (like India) cannot join the NSG. At the same time the Chinese foreign ministry asked the 48-member NSG to "stay focused" on whether membership criteria to the elite group should be changed. "I have not seen the US statement supporting India? But US is one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a briefing of the media. "The relevant rule was made on the principle that NPT was the cornerstone of the NSG," she said. Hua's answer came in reply to a question about the US asking members of the NSG to support India's application. "The door is open. The room is there. We never said we are against (a country). We did not target any country, India or Pakistan," Hua said. China for its part, she said, cares about signing of the NPT as an admission criteria for new members, she said. "This is the core of the international non-proliferation. If the non-proliferation regime is changed, how can we explain the Iranian nuclear treaty?" Hua argued. "We just had a treaty with Iran. We have North Korean issues there... So this concerns the core issue whether NPT and non-proliferation system could be impacted by this," she said. Reiterating what she said yesterday, Hua stated: "According to my understanding, it (entry of new members) is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul." "The door is open for the admission of the non-NPT members. It is never closed. It is open. But the members of the NSG should stay focussed on whether the criteria should be changed and whether non-NPT members should be admitted into the NSG," she said. About the US backing India's bid for membership, Hua said, "We care about rules. US just sets the rules. This is not an issue between China and India but (about) the pillar for non-proliferation system," she said. American support for India: The US has affirmed its support for India joining the NSG and has asked other NSG member states to do so too. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said as the annual five-day plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital yesterday. While the majority of NSG members are backing India's entry into the NSG, it is understood that – apart from China – Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand are not in favour. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. 'If India gets in, so does Pakistan' China opposes India's entry, arguing that it has not signed the NPT. But it has been batting for close ally Pakistan's entry into the NSG should the group allow India any exemptions. Pakistan applied for NSG membership a week after India submitted its application. India – citing the case of France, and saying that it's a precedent – has said that being a signatory to the NPT is not essential to joining the NSG. India is seeking membership to the NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. Access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade in nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market to energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy-generation programme. India is looking at meeting a 63,000 MW-energy requirement by 2030 via its nuclear programme. (PTI)

China says 'door open' to talking about India joining NSG

What is the Nuclear Suppliers Group? 
 
The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was formed in 1978 after India &ndash; which has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) &ndash; conducted a nuclear test in 1974. Today, 48 countries are members of the NSG which seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons via two sets of guidelines. One for nuclear exports and the other for nuclear-related exports. Members implement the guidelines in accordance with their national laws and practices. 
&nbsp; 
So what&#39;s happening this week? 
 
The NSG is meeting in Seoul, South Korea to consider applications by India and Pakistan for membership, among other things. (This is what India believes, although China says Indian membership is not on the agenda.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
How does the Nuclear Suppliers Group operate? 
 
The NSG operates by consensus, which is why every vote matters. Some members (like China) have expressed reservations about admitting new countries (like India). China says the NSG should determine criteria before admitting new members like India, which is not a signatory to the NPT. The NPT aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and related technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament. It was signed in 1968 and came into force in 1970. India says the NPT is discriminatory since it only recognises countries which conducted nuclear tests before 1968 as nuclear-weapons states. China tested a nuclear weapon in 1964. 
&nbsp; 
Why does India want to become a member? 
 
NSG members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technologies. India hopes that becoming a member will help expand its civil nuclear energy programme and also enable it to become a net exporter of nuclear technologies. 
&nbsp; 
Is there a backstory? 
 
The India-US joint statement of 2005 reads that &ldquo;as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology, India should acquire the same benefits and advantages as other such states. (The US) will work to achieve full civil nuclear energy cooperation with India as it realises its goals of promoting nuclear power and achieving energy security. (The US) would also seek agreement from (the US Congress) to adjust US laws and policies, and the US will work with friends and allies to adjust international regimes to enable full civil nuclear energy cooperation and trade with India&rdquo;. 
 
Subsequently, in 2008, India and the US signed a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement and the Nuclear Suppliers Group adopted a policy of civil nuclear cooperation with India, ending decades of technology sanctions against India. 
Although the 2008 India-US nuclear deal effectively ended India&rsquo;s isolation &ndash; a result of its 1998 nuclear tests &ndash; and enabled it to access nuclear fuel and technology, India says all remaining restrictions on the sale of nuclear and other high technology to and by India should be lifted by admitting India into four technology control regimes: the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Wassenaar Arrangement, and the Australia Group. 
&nbsp; 
Who wants India in, and who doesn&#39;t? 
 
The US has welcomed India&rsquo;s application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. The US also reaffirmed its support for India&rsquo;s early membership to the Australia Group and Wassenaar Arrangement. 
The UK has said that it would firmly support India&rsquo;s application. 
China wants the Nuclear Suppliers Group to determine criteria for membership, because India has not signed the NPT. Also, China wants the NSG to admit Pakistan should India become a member. 
&nbsp; 
Does India have the right to to get in? 
 
A large number of countries have affirmed their support. Others like Switzerland and Mexico had voiced their reservations but came around after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited their capitals in May 2016. 
China is seen as the last holdout. India&#39;s foreign minister Sushma Swaraj says she is hopeful of securing China&rsquo;s support; she told a news conference in New Delhi on June 19 that &ldquo;in India&rsquo;s case, instead of criteria, its credentials should be taken into account&rdquo;.&nbsp; 
 
A foreign diplomat who did not wish to be named told WION that India has an impeccable track record of non-proliferation and that it is high time it is welcomed into the elite club. India &ldquo;deserves to be admitted,&rdquo; the source said, adding that India has lived up the expectations of the international community so far as non-proliferation is concerned. 
&nbsp; 
What is the Missile Technology Control Regime? 
 
Established in 1987, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) seeks to prevent the spread of ballistic missiles and other unmanned delivery systems that could be used for chemical, biological, and nuclear attacks. Its members are expected to restrict the sale of missiles and related technologies capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload at least 300 kilometres. 
India is virtually assured of membership to the MTCR. In May 2016, the 34-member MTCR agreed to admit India. As the June 7, 2016 India-US joint statement says, the leaders of the two countries &ldquo;looked forward to India&rsquo;s imminent entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime&rdquo;.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
What is the Wassenaar Arrangement? 
 
The 41-member Wassenaar Arrangement has been established to regulate the transfer of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies and to prevent the acquisition of them by terrorists. 
&nbsp; 
What is the Australia Group? 
 
The 42-member Australia Group is an informal forum of countries which seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.

Why is India so keen on membership, and does it have the right to get in??

What is the Nuclear Suppliers Group? The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was formed in 1978 after India – which has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) – conducted a nuclear test in 1974. Today, 48 countries are members of the NSG which seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons via two sets of guidelines. One for nuclear exports and the other for nuclear-related exports. Members implement the guidelines in accordance with their national laws and practices. So what's happening this week? The NSG is meeting in Seoul, South Korea to consider applications by India and Pakistan for membership, among other things. (This is what India believes, although China says Indian membership is not on the agenda.) How does the Nuclear Suppliers Group operate? The NSG operates by consensus, which is why every vote matters. Some members (like China) have expressed reservations about admitting new countries (like India). China says the NSG should determine criteria before admitting new members like India, which is not a signatory to the NPT. The NPT aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and related technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament. It was signed in 1968 and came into force in 1970. India says the NPT is discriminatory since it only recognises countries which conducted nuclear tests before 1968 as nuclear-weapons states. China tested a nuclear weapon in 1964. Why does India want to become a member? NSG members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technologies. India hopes that becoming a member will help expand its civil nuclear energy programme and also enable it to become a net exporter of nuclear technologies. Is there a backstory? The India-US joint statement of 2005 reads that “as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology, India should acquire the same benefits and advantages as other such states. (The US) will work to achieve full civil nuclear energy cooperation with India as it realises its goals of promoting nuclear power and achieving energy security. (The US) would also seek agreement from (the US Congress) to adjust US laws and policies, and the US will work with friends and allies to adjust international regimes to enable full civil nuclear energy cooperation and trade with India”. Subsequently, in 2008, India and the US signed a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement and the Nuclear Suppliers Group adopted a policy of civil nuclear cooperation with India, ending decades of technology sanctions against India. Although the 2008 India-US nuclear deal effectively ended India’s isolation – a result of its 1998 nuclear tests – and enabled it to access nuclear fuel and technology, India says all remaining restrictions on the sale of nuclear and other high technology to and by India should be lifted by admitting India into four technology control regimes: the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Wassenaar Arrangement, and the Australia Group. Who wants India in, and who doesn't? The US has welcomed India’s application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. The US also reaffirmed its support for India’s early membership to the Australia Group and Wassenaar Arrangement. The UK has said that it would firmly support India’s application. China wants the Nuclear Suppliers Group to determine criteria for membership, because India has not signed the NPT. Also, China wants the NSG to admit Pakistan should India become a member. Does India have the right to to get in? A large number of countries have affirmed their support. Others like Switzerland and Mexico had voiced their reservations but came around after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited their capitals in May 2016. China is seen as the last holdout. India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj says she is hopeful of securing China’s support; she told a news conference in New Delhi on June 19 that “in India’s case, instead of criteria, its credentials should be taken into account”. A foreign diplomat who did not wish to be named told WION that India has an impeccable track record of non-proliferation and that it is high time it is welcomed into the elite club. India “deserves to be admitted,” the source said, adding that India has lived up the expectations of the international community so far as non-proliferation is concerned. What is the Missile Technology Control Regime? Established in 1987, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) seeks to prevent the spread of ballistic missiles and other unmanned delivery systems that could be used for chemical, biological, and nuclear attacks. Its members are expected to restrict the sale of missiles and related technologies capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload at least 300 kilometres. India is virtually assured of membership to the MTCR. In May 2016, the 34-member MTCR agreed to admit India. As the June 7, 2016 India-US joint statement says, the leaders of the two countries “looked forward to India’s imminent entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime”. What is the Wassenaar Arrangement? The 41-member Wassenaar Arrangement has been established to regulate the transfer of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies and to prevent the acquisition of them by terrorists. What is the Australia Group? The 42-member Australia Group is an informal forum of countries which seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group: A Holy Grail?

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s adviser on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has asserted that India has always tried to &#39;maintain its hegemony &#39; in the South Asian region, but Islamabad has effectively stood in New Delhi&#39;s way. 
 
The Dawn quoted Aziz&#39;s interview with Samaa TV, where he said,&nbsp;&quot;But Pakistan rejected this hegemony and has effectively protected its interests and its stance over Kashmir, nuclear deterrence and conventional balance.&quot; 
 
He maintained that &quot;protecting Pakistan&#39;s sovereignty and vital interests is a great achievement as a nation&quot;. 
 
This comes in the wake of the upcoming Nuclear Suppliers&#39; Group (NSG) meeting in Seoul on June 23 and 24 where the membership bid of India and Pakistan will be raised. 
 
Earlier, Aziz reportedly had telephonic conversations with his counterparts in Russia, South Korea and New Zealand in a bid to get their nod for Pakistan&#39;s NSG membership. 
 
In its case against India&#39;s bid in the NSG, Pakistan has claimed that adding India in the elite group could &#39;affect the strategic stability of South Asia&#39;. 
 
Meanwhile, with China playing a dampener saying that India&#39;s admission to the elite NSG is not on the agenda of the grouping which began its plenary session in Seoul on Monday, the United States has called on the participating governments of the NSG to support India&#39;s application. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp; 
 
 
&nbsp;

The foreign affairs adviser's remarks come before the NSG meeting in Seoul on Thursday where the bid for India and Pakistan will be raised

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has asserted that India has always tried to 'maintain its hegemony ' in the South Asian region, but Islamabad has effectively stood in New Delhi's way. The Dawn quoted Aziz's interview with Samaa TV, where he said, "But Pakistan rejected this hegemony and has effectively protected its interests and its stance over Kashmir, nuclear deterrence and conventional balance." He maintained that "protecting Pakistan's sovereignty and vital interests is a great achievement as a nation". This comes in the wake of the upcoming Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) meeting in Seoul on June 23 and 24 where the membership bid of India and Pakistan will be raised. Earlier, Aziz reportedly had telephonic conversations with his counterparts in Russia, South Korea and New Zealand in a bid to get their nod for Pakistan's NSG membership. In its case against India's bid in the NSG, Pakistan has claimed that adding India in the elite group could 'affect the strategic stability of South Asia'. Meanwhile, with China playing a dampener saying that India's admission to the elite NSG is not on the agenda of the grouping which began its plenary session in Seoul on Monday, the United States has called on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application. (ANI)

Pakistan only hurdle to Indian hegemony in South Asia: Sartaj Aziz

China&nbsp;said&nbsp;on Monday that India&#39;s inclusion in the&nbsp;NSG was not&nbsp;even on the agenda of the group&#39;s meeting in Seoul this week and there were differences among the existing members over the inclusion of new countries.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
This statement comes just a day after&nbsp;India&#39;s external&nbsp;affairs&nbsp;minister&nbsp;Sushma&nbsp;Swaraj asserted that Beijing was not opposing India&#39;s entry&nbsp;to the Nuclear&nbsp;Suppliers&#39; Group&nbsp;(NSG).&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We have stressed that the&nbsp;NSG&nbsp;is still divided about non-NPT countries&#39; entry into the NSG,&nbsp;and under the current circumstances we hope that NSG will make thorough discussions to make a decision based on consultation,&quot; Chinese&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;ministry spokesperson Hua&nbsp;Chunying&nbsp;told a media briefing.&nbsp; 
 
Answering questions about&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;secretary S&nbsp;Jaishankar&#39;s&nbsp;visit here on June 16-17 and Swaraj&#39;s remarks, Hua said India&#39;s admission into NSG is not on the agenda of the Seoul meeting of the 48-member elite club to be held on June 24.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;As we understand&nbsp;the annual conference in Seoul this year also has no such topic. We understand that non-NPT countries are concerned about their entry into the NSG. But since NSG is still divided about the issue, so it is still not mature to talk about the entry issue in the annual conference in Seoul,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I want point out that the NSG agenda has never covered any issue concerning the non-NPT countries joining the NSG,&quot; Hua asserted.&nbsp; 
 
China,&nbsp;along with some other nations,&nbsp;has effectively blocked India&#39;s entry to NSG that trades in advanced nuclear material and technology.&nbsp; 
 
Swaraj&nbsp;had&nbsp;made the comments on China at a news conference held to highlight her government&#39;s achievement in their two-years of rule&nbsp;on Sunday.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;As far as China is concerned, they are not opposed to India&#39;s membership into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but is talking about criteria procedure,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
India had spoken to 23 nations on India&#39;s membership to NSG, out of which 21 had extended support while the remaining had raised questions.&nbsp; 
 
India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact.&nbsp; 
 
Swaraj was optimistic that China would agree on India&#39;s entry into NSG.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;When foreign secretary went to China, he said during the talks that India&#39;s credentials should be discussed instead of criteria. I believe that there is still time and we are hopeful that we will be able to convince China as well,&quot; Swaraj said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate India&#39;s rival Pakistan, an ally of China, which has responded to India&#39;s membership bid with one of its own.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Swaraj also took questions on Pakistan&#39;s bid to join the NSG and said that India was not against the entry of any country into the non-proliferation body.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;As far as Pakistan&#39;s entry is concerned, we are not yet members of the NSG, so we cannot be a part in the decision-making process regarding their membership. We are not opposed to the entry of any nation into the NSG. We would want any application to be considered on its own merits,&quot; she concluded.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Membership of the 48-nation club would bring India into the nuclear fold 41 years after it tested its first nuclear bomb, and give the nation of 1.25 billion a vested interest in curbing the world&#39;s most dangerous regional arms race.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
A seat at the NSG would strengthen India&#39;s geopolitical clout and help it&nbsp;capitalise&nbsp;on nuclear trade and technology transfer opportunities.&nbsp; 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp;

The statement comes after Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's comment that China was not blocking India's entry into NSG

China said on Monday that India's inclusion in the NSG was not even on the agenda of the group's meeting in Seoul this week and there were differences among the existing members over the inclusion of new countries. This statement comes just a day after India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj asserted that Beijing was not opposing India's entry to the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG). "We have stressed that the NSG is still divided about non-NPT countries' entry into the NSG, and under the current circumstances we hope that NSG will make thorough discussions to make a decision based on consultation," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing. Answering questions about foreign secretary S Jaishankar's visit here on June 16-17 and Swaraj's remarks, Hua said India's admission into NSG is not on the agenda of the Seoul meeting of the 48-member elite club to be held on June 24. "As we understand the annual conference in Seoul this year also has no such topic. We understand that non-NPT countries are concerned about their entry into the NSG. But since NSG is still divided about the issue, so it is still not mature to talk about the entry issue in the annual conference in Seoul," she said. "I want point out that the NSG agenda has never covered any issue concerning the non-NPT countries joining the NSG," Hua asserted. China, along with some other nations, has effectively blocked India's entry to NSG that trades in advanced nuclear material and technology. Swaraj had made the comments on China at a news conference held to highlight her government's achievement in their two-years of rule on Sunday. "As far as China is concerned, they are not opposed to India's membership into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but is talking about criteria procedure," she said. India had spoken to 23 nations on India's membership to NSG, out of which 21 had extended support while the remaining had raised questions. India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact. Swaraj was optimistic that China would agree on India's entry into NSG. "When foreign secretary went to China, he said during the talks that India's credentials should be discussed instead of criteria. I believe that there is still time and we are hopeful that we will be able to convince China as well," Swaraj said. Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate India's rival Pakistan, an ally of China, which has responded to India's membership bid with one of its own. Swaraj also took questions on Pakistan's bid to join the NSG and said that India was not against the entry of any country into the non-proliferation body. "As far as Pakistan's entry is concerned, we are not yet members of the NSG, so we cannot be a part in the decision-making process regarding their membership. We are not opposed to the entry of any nation into the NSG. We would want any application to be considered on its own merits," she concluded. Membership of the 48-nation club would bring India into the nuclear fold 41 years after it tested its first nuclear bomb, and give the nation of 1.25 billion a vested interest in curbing the world's most dangerous regional arms race. A seat at the NSG would strengthen India's geopolitical clout and help it capitalise on nuclear trade and technology transfer opportunities. (Agencies)

India?s entry into Nuclear Suppliers' Group not on Seoul meet agenda: China

Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar made an unannounced visit to Beijing to enlist support for India&#39;s bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) which is being opposed by China. 
 
Jaishankar&#39;s visit came a week ahead of the plenary meeting of the 48-nation atomic trading bloc scheduled to be held in Seoul, South Korea on June 24 where India&#39;s membership is likely to be discussed. 
 
&quot;Yes, I can confirm foreign secretary visited Beijing on June 16-17 for bilateral consultations with his Chinese counterpart. All major issues, including India&#39;s NSG membership, were discussed,&quot; Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said today. 
 
China has been strongly opposing India&#39;s membership at the premier club, arguing that it was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 
 
Earlier this week, China&#39;s official media said India&#39;s NSG membership would &quot;jeopardise&quot; China&#39;s national interests, besides touching a &quot;raw nerve&quot; in Pakistan. The Chinese foreign ministry had said a week back that members of the NSG &quot;remain divided&quot; on the issue of non-NPT countries joining it and called for &quot;full discussions&quot;. 
 
India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its membership of the bloc whose members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. 
 
The US has backed India and asked various NSG members to support New Delhi&#39;s bid. 
 
It is understood that a number of countries including Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India&#39;s entry into the NSG. 
 
India had managed to secure support of NSG members Switzerland and Mexico during Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s recent visit to these two countries as part of a five-nation tour. Mexico and Switzerland were known to have strong nuclear proliferation concerns and were not in favour of allowing NSG membership to countries which were not signatory to NPT. 
 
The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country&#39;s vote against India will scuttle its bid. 
 
India&#39;s access to the NSG, a body that regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for India&#39;s domestic nuclear energy programme. 
 
India has been campaigning for membership of the bloc for last few years and had formally moved its application on May 12. 
 
The NSG had granted an exclusive waiver to India in 2008 to access civil nuclear technology after China reluctantly backed India&#39;s case based on the Indo-US nuclear deal. 
(PTI)

India's access to the NSG is expected to open up the international market for India's domestic nuclear energy programme

Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar made an unannounced visit to Beijing to enlist support for India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) which is being opposed by China. Jaishankar's visit came a week ahead of the plenary meeting of the 48-nation atomic trading bloc scheduled to be held in Seoul, South Korea on June 24 where India's membership is likely to be discussed. "Yes, I can confirm foreign secretary visited Beijing on June 16-17 for bilateral consultations with his Chinese counterpart. All major issues, including India's NSG membership, were discussed," Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said today. China has been strongly opposing India's membership at the premier club, arguing that it was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Earlier this week, China's official media said India's NSG membership would "jeopardise" China's national interests, besides touching a "raw nerve" in Pakistan. The Chinese foreign ministry had said a week back that members of the NSG "remain divided" on the issue of non-NPT countries joining it and called for "full discussions". India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its membership of the bloc whose members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. The US has backed India and asked various NSG members to support New Delhi's bid. It is understood that a number of countries including Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. India had managed to secure support of NSG members Switzerland and Mexico during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to these two countries as part of a five-nation tour. Mexico and Switzerland were known to have strong nuclear proliferation concerns and were not in favour of allowing NSG membership to countries which were not signatory to NPT. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. India's access to the NSG, a body that regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for India's domestic nuclear energy programme. India has been campaigning for membership of the bloc for last few years and had formally moved its application on May 12. The NSG had granted an exclusive waiver to India in 2008 to access civil nuclear technology after China reluctantly backed India's case based on the Indo-US nuclear deal. (PTI)

Indian foreign secretary makes unannounced visit to China on Nuclear Suppliers Group issue

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