Going nuclear? India bids to join NSG
A plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) will be held in Bern, Switzerland on Thursday and Friday.
One of the primary points of contention within the group is the membership status of India. Admittance to the NSG can only be achieved through consensus, and China has stated that it will not support India’s membership bid, citing New Delhi’s refusal to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
A principal factor driving Beijing’s opposition to Indian membership is that it would infuriate Pakistan—China’s regional ally, which has launched its own membership bid. Like India, Pakistan is not a signatory of the NPT; however, because of its questionable nuclear track record, Pakistan would receive little support for its membership.
NSG membership would provide New Delhi with greater access to technologies and materials that would allow India to enhance its production of civilian nuclear power plants. Inclusion would also enable India to enter the global market as an exporter of nuclear technologies.
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