India confident on NSG entry, says current hurdle "not a diplomatic failure"

Asserting that India would continue to talk with China to further its mission to gain entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday said that New Delhi met the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) criteria, adding the current hurdle was not a diplomatic failure.

Speaking to ANI here, MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup stated that procedural hurdles were part of such deals, adding that India applied for membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) 10 years ago, and has achieved successful entry into both groups in this week alone.

"There are some processes that take a long time. I would evaluate the NSG membership process in that category. Yes, we did not get the desired result from Seoul. Probably it is going to take slightly longer," Swarup said.

Talking about the countries, besides China, who had raised oppositions to India joining the NSG, he said there, is a bit of disinformation floating the matter.

"As I mentioned earlier, there was only one country which persistently raised procedural hurdles, as a result of which no decision could be arrived at in Seoul and we stick to that stand. As far as other countries are concerned, there are some who raised procedure related issues, but not a single country apart from that one country opposed India`s NSG membership," Swarup said.

With the NSG and China setting the NPT as a crucial criterion for gaining entry, the diplomat asserted that India has already implemented all the provisions meeting the criteria and that it has all the credentials to be part of the NSG.

"India is an important member of the nuclear comer club. We are building 38 reactors within the country. Every year more than 150 plus export licenses on nuclear related items are issues by India. This itself tells the need of India to be inside the NSG. Our credentials on non proliferation speak for itself," Swarup said.

Asserting that nobody in the global economy can equate India with Pakistan on the NPT issue, the spokesperson added that India`s current NSG hurdle was not a diplomatic failure. However, he admitted that the results were not as expected.

"These are continuing processes. We will continue to work actively on this. Today Indian diplomacy does not fear failure. We will redouble our efforts and double the momentum to achieve the result," Swarup said.

Indicating that India would continue to discuss the matter with China, he added that a relationship only moves forward if both sides are mindful of each other`s concerns and priorities.

Meanwhile, the NSG will meet yet again this year to discuss the process of inclusion of countries like India, who have not signed the NPT.

A special plenary session of the NSG can be called by the year end. According to sources, there is possibility of India`s inclusion in the NSG, while New Delhi will continue to discuss the issue with China.

The NSG earlier on Thursday failed to reach a consensus on New Delhi`s membership application after several members of the 48-member group insisted on adhering to NPT conditions for admission.