Big day for India: NSG to take up India-Pak applications at its plenary meeting today

Nuclears Suplliers Group (NSG), 48 nuclear supplier countries will today take up the applications of both India and Pakistan regarding NSG membership in its annual plenary meeting starting today in Seoul.

A day before, India pinned hopes and displayed confidence that NSG membership is not far away from its grasp. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj while addressing a press conference said, “China is not protesting membership of India in NSG and we will succeed in convincing the Dragon too.”

Being a party to Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is also one of the contributing factors here for admission in NSG. North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2006 before conducting its first nuclear test.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar also made an unannounced visit to Beijing on June 16-17 in this regard to enlist support for India’s bid for NSG membership opposed by China.

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.