China lobbying against India’s NSG entry, claims Pakistan daily

Islamabad – China is trying to curb India’s efforts of becoming a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). A Pakistan based newspaper has reported this referencing from its government official that China is lobbying against India’s entry in NSG with the help of other member countries like New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and South Africa.The Pakistan daily also claims that United States is using its influence to support India’s entry in NSG, contrary to China’s efforts of excluding India from the group.

United States, Switzerland, Mexico have already supported India’s membership in NSG. Most of the member countries in the group have a favorable opinion about including India in NSG. China has however, strongly opposed India’s entry saying that if India is given membership in the group then even Pakistan should be allowed to be a member.Therefore following India, Pakistan too has applied for NSG membership. It however seems impossible for Pakistan to become a member of NSG as per given its history.

United States had clearly stated that if Pakistan wants to be a member of the group, it should directly take a stand before NSG and claim their membership instead of reaching out to each and every member country for support. Pakistan based newspaper “Dawn” has published that the Foreign Secretary of United States John Kerry has written letters to all the member countries of NSG requesting them not to oppose India’s entry in the Group. The newspaper also stated that China along with New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Ireland is using political agenda to refrain India’s entry in NSG. The newspaper has asserted that they have obtained this information from a government official of Pakistan.

This daily also stated that as observed by some Pakistani experts, China’s opposition to India’s membership in NSG is believed to become more aggressive in near future. So the support from the US and other nations will not necessarily allow India to get its membership in the group. US had already taken permission from NSG for making a civil nuclear agreement with India. Diplomats have observed that even though, India was not a member of NSG, still the group had to give permission to make the deal with US.

George Bush, the former President of United States had himself called his Chinese counterpart who was against this agreement after which China could not oppose the nuclear agreement between India and United States.It is said that if US continues its aggressive stand on India’s inclusion in the group, then China will find but isolated in NSG.So now ,India’s NSG membership is not limited to India itself it is a matter of dominance and prestige between US and China.