With NSG on agenda, Foreign Secy Jaishankar makes surprise China visit

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar made an unannounced visit to Beijing on 16-17 June 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 on 24 June where India’s membership is likely to be discussed. “Yes, I can confirm Foreign Secretary visited Beijing on 16-17 June for bilateral consultations with his Chinese counterpart. All major issues, including India’s NSG membership, were discussed,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Sunday. 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). Meanwhile, Russian President, according to India Today, has said that he is positive about finding a solution to the objections raised by China against India’s application for NSG membership. Russia is one of the key supporters of India. Speaking to India Today, Putin said, “Russia has been cooperating with India on all nuclear issues but only within the limits of the international law. We believe that India with its huge population, has economic problems and lot of energy challenges apart from national security issues. And therefore, India cannot be put in the same league as other countries. While we must act within the international law, we must look at all the opportunities to ensure, provide and support India’s interests.” When asked whether Russia had any discussions with Beijing on India’s inclusion as a member-country in the NSG club, Putin said that there are no secrets and the decision will be taken after consulting all the members. [caption id=“attachment_2843520” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Foreign secretary S Jaiashankar. Image courtesy: MEA website[/caption] Interestingly, an op-ed in the Global Times (14 June) titled ‘India mustn’t let nuclear ambitions blind itself’ gravely noted: “Beijing insists that a prerequisite of New Delhi’s entry is that must be a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, (NPT) while India is not. Despite acknowledging this legal and systematic requirement, the Indian media called China’s stance obstructionist.” This brief comment is the first semi-official articulation of China on the NSG and predictably obfuscates the issue. In making this assertion about the NPT, Beijing is being characteristically innovative and artful in how it first distorts and then presents various facts specific to the nuclear domain. Having based its objection to India’s admission to the NSG on the charge that India is a non-signatory to the NPT , the op-ed (and by extension Beijing) glosses over the fact that there is a precedent which could be cited to advance the Indian case. Apart from the NPT rhetoric, China has also encouraged Pakistan to apply for NSG membership so as to link New Delhi’s entry with that of Islamabad’s, knowing well that there will be few takers for Pakistan’s case. India has been trying to join the group since 2008, which essentially would give it a place at the high table where the rules of nuclear commerce are decided. India, as part of the NSG, would also mean its ability to sell equipment. Many countries, like Australia, that initially opposed its entry have changed stance and Mexico and Switzerland are the latest to voice their support. Russia too joined in. India’s membership in the group will be the final step of nation’s inclusion in ’nuclear global order’. 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. The NSG was conceived in November 1975 as a response to India’s peaceful nuclear explosion of May 1974 and the original seven participating governments (not members) were Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the Soviet Union, the United States and West Germany. At the time, France was not a signatory to the NPT though it was a nuclear weapons state but was part of the NSG. And, for the record, Paris formally acceded to the NPT only in August 1992. The NSG operates as an informal group that has certain guidelines. The participating governments have identified five factors for those nations seeking to join the group. Being a signatory to the NPT is one of the factors and may be desirable but, as the example of France has demonstrated, it is no bar to admission. 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 12 May. 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. With inputs from PTI and IANS