China not opposed to India's entry to Nuclear Suppliers Group, harps on agreement of admission standards by fellow members

China has once exhibited a very clear cut diplomatic stand over India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), stating that it does not oppose any country's membership, however, adding that a standard for admission should be agreed upon first.

"On Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) issue, we do not oppose any country's membership, believing that a standard for admission should be agreed upon first," said Ambassador Luo Zhaohui at the United Service Institution of India here.

Beijing has maintained that New Delhi's entry to the NSG must be based on a set of principles agreed by other members while adding that the discussions on specific cases must be carried out later.

"We stick to two-step approach namely, first NSG members need to arrive at a set of principles for the entry of non-NPT state parties into NSG and then move forward discussions of specific cases. Our position is consistent. Apart from India, other non-NPT state parties are also making applications. Our position on those applications is consistent," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a press briefing.

Even though India has been pushing hard for the membership it has failed due to objections from countries like China and New Zealand.

India has long been trying to secure the membership of the 48-member group but China's stance on New Delhi not being a signatory of NPT has been blocking its bid to secure the seat.

India has been pressing China to relent on its opposition, saying that vast majority of the 48-member group back New Delhi's case.

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.