New Delhi:
After China, now Brazil is also against India joining the NSG club for it is not a signatory to the NPT. Ireland and Turkey also opposed India's induction into NSG citing India being non NPT state while Mexico backed India's induction into NSG.
China belligerently led opposition to India’s membership of NSG at a three-hour post-dinner meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group here tonight which ended in a deadlock.
The special session of Nuclear Security Group discussing membership which went on in Seoul is considered to be a crucial one as it will decide whether India will enter the nuke club or not.
Preceding the 2-day plenary of the 48-member NSG, which began today, China had repeatedly said that India’s membership was not on the agenda and is said to have made every effort to prevent any discussion on India’s bid. However, Japan is believed to have raised India’s case in the morning session after which it was agreed that the matter would be taken up at the special post-dinner meeting.
This means that China is not the sole opponent in NSG meet against its induction into the NSG. If today’s meeting in Seoul remains inconclusive then deliberations may continue on June 24.
Brazil’s objections are said to have surprised the Indian diplomats who pointed out that it is a member of the 5 -nation BRICS grouping. Besides India and Russia, the grouping includes Russia, China and South Africa.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, who is camping here, had earlier met the Brazilian delegation. Officials said that discussions were inconclusive and that it would only be clear before the end of the plenary tomorrow.
