China again refuses to support India entry into NSG
China has once again ruled out backing India's bid to become a member of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). China said India's membership has become "more complicated" under the "new circumstances" without elaborating about what the so called circumstances are. China has repeatedly blocked India's membership to the NSG despite New Delhi having the backing of a majority of the grouping's members.
The NSG was created in 1974 after India used fuel from Canadian supplies to conduct its nuclear weapons test. The group consists of 48-member nations which possess a large amount of nuclear fuel ore or technology. The group seeks to limit trade in nuclear technology so as to ensure that nuclear fuel and technology is used only for peaceful purposes by non-nuclear weapon states.
In early 2016, India's bid to NSG was stalled by China. China insisted that India sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to get NSG membership. NPT nations want India to join NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon state and place all nuclear facilities under IAEA's (International Atomic Energy Agency) watch which India resists as discriminatory because it perpetuates "haves/have-nots" divide.
It is largely believed that China has been blocking India because it believes that India's inclusion without Pakistan's entry in NSG would be discriminatory and could lead to regional imbalance.
In December 2016, a new draft proposal was distributed amongst the NSG members to make way for India's membership. The draft proposal for non-NPT signatory countries like India and Pakistan to gain NSG membership was submitted by the former NSG Chair- Rafael Mariano Grossi.
It was reported on April 5 that some of the countries which opposed India's membership bid to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) may change their opinion and accept it instead. India's membership was being discussed at a consultative group meeting. According to sources, the change of perspectives was powered by continuous backroom diplomacy. China, however, continued to oppose India's membership bid.
On May 23, China said it won't support India's NSG bid unless a universal formula is created for applications from non-NPT signatory countries. China has called for a two-step membership approach in which each country's application would be considered individually. In February, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said Beijing was "open" to India's membership provided certain "procedures and processes" were completed.
