Modi-Xi meet remains inconclusive as India's NSG bid undecided

Seoul: India faces setback on Thursday as six countries – China, Brazil, Austria, New Zealand, Turkey and Ireland, opposed NSG membership to countries that are not signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his 50-minute meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent, urged him to consider New Delhi's bid for NSG membership on its merit.

Highlights:

• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that PM Modi has asked Xi that Beijing should make a fair and objective assessment of India’s NSG application
• Indian application for membership to the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group was discussed at a post-dinner special session in South Korean capital
• China remains adamant on its stand that if any concession is given to India, same should apply to Pakistan
• Pakistan remains a defaulter for signing the Non-proliferation Treaty since it sold atomic weapons technology to Libya, Iran and North Korea
• Matter related to India’s NSG bid would be discussed at the special session convened by Chairperson Rafael Grossi of Argentina.
• Those stand in support of India include – Argentina, South Korea, US, Britain, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, France and Russia