Sources have stated that two days after Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar wound up a quiet two-day visit to China, where he met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, India on Sunday suggested that its chances of joining the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) may have brightened and the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that China was “not opposing” India’s membership and was talking about “criteria and process” for becoming an NSG member.
Swaraj has said that she is in contact with 23 nations, one or two have raised concerns, but I think consensus is there and the issue of India’s membership will be discussed at a plenary meeting of the elite group on June 23rd to 24th in Seoul.
Swarup has told that previously that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup has confirmed that Jaishankar has visited Beijing on June 16th to 17th “for bilateral consultations with his Chinese counterpart” and all major issues, including India’s NSG membership, were discussed.
Meanwhile China has strongly opposed India’s application for NSG membership, saying that New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while India has showcased its impeccable track record on nuclear non-proliferation.
