Tracking India's Admission into International Groups & Bodies

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Cosmo_R
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by Cosmo_R »

@SShridhar ^^^...."India’s 30-year-old effort to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council has been characterised as the pursuit of a diplomatic holy grail. The chance of success in that pursuit has been receding like a mirage, though there have been tantalising signs of progress. "

India was one of the UN's founding members and was offered the UNSC seat. JLN/VKK threw it away, preferring instead to give to China in one of many acts of folly in foreign policy that still haunt us today.

Until PVNR, came along MEA lived in some kind of alternate reality. It is only after the 1998 tests and ABV et al that India began to show some spine. Till them it was a 'pitiful helpless giant' to use LBJ's metaphor.

Since the JLN era we have been digging ourselves out of the holes we dug ourselves into. To talk to some of the foreign policy worthies in the 1960s was to experience a sense of their complete disconnect from reality. To use modern coinage, the answer to the question "what were they thinking ", is nothing at all.

The Deve Gowda/IK Gujral years were the years we were a complete laughing stock—globally.

Modi's efforts in two years are remarkable and would have been even more if we were not digging ourselves out.
RoyG
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by RoyG »

Cosmo_R wrote:@SShridhar ^^^...."India’s 30-year-old effort to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council has been characterised as the pursuit of a diplomatic holy grail. The chance of success in that pursuit has been receding like a mirage, though there have been tantalising signs of progress. "

India was one of the UN's founding members and was offered the UNSC seat. JLN/VKK threw it away, preferring instead to give to China in one of many acts of folly in foreign policy that still haunt us today.

Until PVNR, came along MEA lived in some kind of alternate reality. It is only after the 1998 tests and ABV et al that India began to show some spine. Till them it was a 'pitiful helpless giant' to use LBJ's metaphor.

Since the JLN era we have been digging ourselves out of the holes we dug ourselves into. To talk to some of the foreign policy worthies in the 1960s was to experience a sense of their complete disconnect from reality. To use modern coinage, the answer to the question "what were they thinking ", is nothing at all.

The Deve Gowda/IK Gujral years were the years we were a complete laughing stock—globally.

Modi's efforts in two years are remarkable and would have been even more if we were not digging ourselves out.
Correct.

But hey, we're here now.

It's part of the adventure.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by SSridhar »

vnmshyam wrote:So, what is our plan b if we fail to the nod? We still have agreements in place by which can import nuclear fuel/ore from various countries. Right?
We have a permanent waiver from NSG for nuclear fuel. We are still restricted from being supplied with Enrichment technology. Our Plan B would be to continue to demand our legitimate seat in the NSG. We cannot be ignored for too long. We will have to target those countries that stop us.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by SSridhar »

Cosmo_R, what you quoted is what T.P.Sreenivasan has said. I am largely in disagreement with the theses of his article.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by arun »

Extraordinary session at Vienna comes to a close without India getting the nod for Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) membership. Matter of membership for India (and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan) now moves to Seoul plenary on June 20. China as expected is leading the charge to block India’s entry into the NSG assisted by Turkey, Kazakhstan and Ireland. Surprised at seeing Kazakhstan on the list of blockers as we have a nuclear agreement post IAEA waiver with them for uranium.

Meanwhile the Islamic Republic of Pakistan seems to have a chance of sliming into the NSG without doing any of the heavy lifting of IAEA waiver that India had to go through and piggybacking on Indian efforts :

India senses a chance at NSG after Vienna meet
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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China will not change its stance. It has taken the stand that clear message needed to be sent to India. It doesn't want India to challenge the Chinese hegemony in Asia. It would subvert any US efforts to prop up India. It does not want India to get the same eminence in international fora and organizations. We must look at historical Chinese behaviour.

It opposed us tooth and nail in joining the ASEAN. It went to extraordinary extents to introduce by stealth a paragraph in the UNGA Resolution on the 'framework document' that would have resulted un-necessary technicalities in order to delay the process by several more years. China contacted several nations to force the issue but India’s strength prevailed upon in the end and China had to beat a retreat. Then China began working on the Jamaican government to remove its UN representative, Courtney Rattray, who drafted the text based on which future negotiations would take place so that a new incumbent would be unaware of the intricate and lengthy process behind drafting the text and China can leverage him/her to have its way. In fact, the arrest of former president of the UN General Assembly, John Ashe, on charges of bribery by the Chinese has vindicated India's suspicion that key top level officials in the UN system were being paid off to delay or scuttle the Security Council reform process. While only some of the details of the bribery processes have been made public, they are enough to provide a clue to the methods China uses to influence UN processes. A part of this, they believe, has to do with influencing the progress of UN Security Council reform which China has steadfastly opposed. As president of UNGA between 2013-2014, Ashe started out by setting up an advisory body which drafted a 'non-paper' on the negotiations for UNSC reform. This, Indian officials say, was a simplified version of the 300-page draft negotiation document that was agreed to later in September 2015. India was an enthusiastic supporter of the 'non-paper' which they hoped would later become the draft text, because the advisory body was representative of the major world groups. However, mysteriously for Indians, Ashe backed out from making this the text at the last moment. This came as a blow to India's hopes, and it took a couple more years before the text was adopted. In a reprise, the last UNGA president Sam Kutesa, also wavered at the last moment, inserting paragraphs (inspired by China, say Indian officials) that would have dealt a big blow to the UN process. But this time the G4 and other countries prevailed on Kutesa, and the text went through.

As for Kazakhastan with which India has excellent relationship (Kazakh supports our permanent membership in UNSC), my feeling is it has been arm-twisted by China.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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How exactly India will benefit from being a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group: 6 examples - Shailaja Neelakantan, ToI
No decision was taken on India's entry to the Nuclear Supplier's Group (NSG) at a meeting of its members on Thursday and Friday in Vienna. While Switzerland and Mexico this week joined the US in supporting India's bid to become an NSG member, China is still fighting it tooth and nail. What is China afraid of and how will NSG membership help India? Here are 6 examples that show how India will benefit.

1. After years of being in the doghouse for going nuclear - with the 1974 Pokhran test - the US finally relented and agreed to a civil nuclear deal with India in 2008. This made India eligible to receive advanced nuclear technologies that could be used to enrich uranium and/or reprocess plutonium. This has helped India a lot. However, such access is restricted to American technologies. Membership to the NSG will essentially increase India's access to state-of-the-art technology from the other 47 members of the Group, as well.

2. Being a member of the NSG will also mean that India will have far greater access to uranium than it does currently under its 2008 agreement with the US. For example, Namibia is the fourth-largest producer of uranium and it agreed to sell the nuclear fuel to India in 2009. However, that hasn't happened, as Namibia has since cited a 2009 African version of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Pelindaba Treaty, which essentially controls the supply of uranium from Africa to the rest of the world. If India joins the NSG, such reservations from Namibia are expected to melt away.

3. NSG membership also means India can begin to commercially produce nuclear power equipment, which it can then even sell to other countries. With access to state-of-the-art nuclear technologies, it can maximize its production benefits.

4. Access to technology and being allowed to produce nuclear equipment will give a boost to the Make in India programme announced by PM Modi. That will boost economic growth in India, create more jobs and even lead to a whole new IT-industry segment that India can leverage.

5. With India committed to meeting its climate change goals by reducing dependence on fossil fuels, India needs to step up nuclear power production. NSG membership will help India greatly in doing so. In 2008, India did a get a one-time waiver from the NSG that allowed it to buy nuclear power plants from the global market. Still, being out of the elite NSG group has meant that many latest technologies are still out of its reach as it is the NSG members that have the latest and the most efficient technology.

6.Last but not least, if India gets NSG membership it can prevent Pakistan from getting it, very similar to the manner in which China is blocking India from becoming a member.
More than all these, IMO, the satisfaction that India is in an organization that was expressly setup to strangulate Indian nuclear technology in the first place. Unfortunately, the Devil is quoting the Scriptures to stop us! The biggest proliferator, even after signing the NPT, is against the stickler for international laws & conventions, even if it has not signed the NPT, from taking its legitimate high seat !!
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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On the NSG route, India's next stop is Namibia - Shailaja Neelakantan, ToI
President Pranab Mukherjee heads to Namibia June 15-17 and he will be the first Indian President to visit the nation in as long as 21 years.

On the face of it, the President's trip seems like a routine head of state visit - he is also going to Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire June 12-14 - but when seen in conjunction with three other facts, the trip doesn't look that routine.


Routine state visit?

Fact one: This week, PM Narendra Modi got the backing of Switzerland and Mexico for its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the elite nukes club of 48 countries. In addition, on a trip to the US, also earlier this week, PM Modi got renewed public support from the US for India's NSG membership.

Fact two: India's bid for NSG membership is expected to be discussed in a meeting session of the NSG scheduled for June 20-24 in Seoul.

Fact three: Namibia is the fourth-largest producer of uranium and it agreed to sell the nuclear fuel to India in 2009. However, that hasn't happened, as Namibia has since cited a 2009 African version of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Pelindaba Treaty, which essentially controls the supply of uranium from Africa to the rest of the world.

Uranium, more uranium needed

India has some access to uranium since its 2008 agreement on nuclear safeguards with the International Atomic Energy Agency. That paved the way for a civil nuclear agreement with the US, which in turn led to France, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Canada agreeing to export uranium to India.

Still, India needs a lot more uranium to be able to ramp up the building of nuclear power plants and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. India's goal is to have 40 percent of its energy from clean and renewable sources.

No uranium from US

The US has not provided uranium to India for the last several decades - likely since 1969 - despite the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Lok Sabha was told in March by Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office that looks after the Department of Atomic Energy.

The last time the US fuelled reactors was in the initial days of the operation of two units of Tarapur Atomic Power Stations (TAPS) in Maharashtra, TOI has reported. TAPS units 1 and 2 started operations as long ago as 1969. The US stopped providing uranium to India after it undertook its first nuclear test in 1974.

Enter Namibia

India's been frustrated, because despite an agreement with it, Namibia has been unwilling to export uranium to India, for the non-proliferation reason mentioned above. In fact, that's why Namibia's parliament has yet to ratify India's agreement with the country.

Diplomats have said President Mukherjee is on a mission to persuade Namibia to ratify the 2009 agreement.

"Namibia is the fourth largest producer of uranium but they have an African Union agreement which impedes its implementation. Namibia has not been able to break that unity or the binding commitment (of the as Pelindaba treaty)," Amar Sinha, Energy Secretary, told reporters on Saturday, a day before the President is scheduled to leave for his three-nation tour to Africa.

Sinha said the President will try to impress upon Namibia that India will continue to sign agreements with other countries for the supply of uranium. "... eventually if we meet our requirement from non-Namibian sources it would be loss to Namibian industry," PTI reports Sinha say saying.

Win for Namibia and India

Namibia, Niger, Malawi and South Africa are the main uranium producing countries on the African continent. Revenue derived from the uranium mining operations of multinational corporations here -despite the high price of uranium - is minimal, uncertain and volatile.

That's because of the financial agreements that these countries make with the uranium producers regarding their share in the profits. That was the conclusion of a 2011 report - called Radioactive Revenues - from WISE and the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations.

The Energy Secretary also said that Namibia gets no revenue from uranium. It would be a win-win situation for both counties if Namibia relents, Sinha added.

Come June 24, India will likely get a reply on its bid for NSG membership after the meeting session of NSG members in Seoul. Even if India fails to get membership, Namibia, officials hope, can be convinced to relent, especially now that Mexico and Switzerland have also backed India.

All eyes are now on Windhoek, Namibia.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by shyamoo »

SSridhar wrote:
vnmshyam wrote:So, what is our plan b if we fail to the nod? We still have agreements in place by which can import nuclear fuel/ore from various countries. Right?
We have a permanent waiver from NSG for nuclear fuel. We are still restricted from being supplied with Enrichment technology. Our Plan B would be to continue to demand our legitimate seat in the NSG. We cannot be ignored for too long. We will have to target those countries that stop us.
Thanks SSridhar saar.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by Prem Kumar »

SSridhar wrote: More than all these, IMO, the satisfaction that India is in an organization that was expressly setup to strangulate Indian nuclear technology in the first place. Unfortunately, the Devil is quoting the Scriptures to stop us! The biggest proliferator, even after signing the NPT, is against the stickler for international laws & conventions, even if it has not signed the NPT, from taking its legitimate high seat !!
Isn't this why we should just say balls to these 3 letter acronyms, build up our TN bums and not waste so much political capital (& concessions) on it. Let people come & beg at our doors.
RoyG
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by RoyG »

Prem Kumar wrote:
SSridhar wrote: More than all these, IMO, the satisfaction that India is in an organization that was expressly setup to strangulate Indian nuclear technology in the first place. Unfortunately, the Devil is quoting the Scriptures to stop us! The biggest proliferator, even after signing the NPT, is against the stickler for international laws & conventions, even if it has not signed the NPT, from taking its legitimate high seat !!
Isn't this why we should just say balls to these 3 letter acronyms, build up our TN bums and not waste so much political capital (& concessions) on it. Let people come & beg at our doors.
TN bums can't be built up w/o validating the designs. Won't happen for another decade or so.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by SSridhar »

Prem Kumar wrote:
SSridhar wrote: More than all these, IMO, the satisfaction that India is in an organization that was expressly setup to strangulate Indian nuclear technology in the first place. Unfortunately, the Devil is quoting the Scriptures to stop us! The biggest proliferator, even after signing the NPT, is against the stickler for international laws & conventions, even if it has not signed the NPT, from taking its legitimate high seat !!
Isn't this why we should just say balls to these 3 letter acronyms, build up our TN bums and not waste so much political capital (& concessions) on it. Let people come & beg at our doors.
We are simply not powerful enough to do like that. With 5 trillion reserves, we can attempt to do something like that as China is doing now in the form of AIIB etc.

We have to be part of the system but we must be involved in policy-making in all areas that significantly affect us:trade, economy, climate, security etc.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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India-US bonhomie may make China allow Delhi into NSG: Experts - Chidanand Rajghatta, ToI
Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy, goes the wise saw in diplomatic circles. As some of the more mature and experienced practitioners of art of negotiations, the United States, China, and India appear to be inching closer to accommodating New Delhi at the international (nuclear) high table following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington this past week.

On the face of it, China appears to have balked at, and blocked, India's admission to the Nuclear Suppliers Group that concluded its initial sitting in Vienna in Friday.

But officials conversant with the issue say only the opening gambits are in play and all three sides still have many more moves before the matter is resolved to the satisfaction of all.

There is no one grand bargain, one official said in a conversation agreed to on basis of anonymity; each side will seek incremental changes and deals in the different areas to advance its national interest.

Purely as an illustration, the official said, US and India may have dropped the reference to South China Sea in their joint statement to assuage Beijing's concern, even as Washington, by shepherding New Delhi into the Missile Control Technology Regime (MTCR), is dangling the same for China (which is not a member of MTCR) in exchange for lifting its objection to India's ticket to the NSG.

Certainly, US diplomats talked up India's membership of the MTCR in a way that would have prickled Beijing ears. A senior administration official observed that membership of MTCR "permits India to continue to advance its non-proliferation leadership in the world and contribute to that regime, to limit missile proliferation in the world".

China is widely seen as a proliferator that has helped rogue regimes and militaries in North Korea and Pakistan acquire advanced nuclear and missile technology. Beijing would have also noted the kind of advances US and India made in technology transfers and cooperation in other frontier areas, including finalising the text of an agreement which will enable sharing of information vital in India's development and, ultimately, deployment of aircraft carriers, and a framework for the US-India cyber relationship, the first such document the US has concluded with any foreign country.

"It will help India and the US work together to shape and protect and advance cyber norms globally, and it will help each country protect its own information and infrastructure from cyber (attacks) as well," a US official said, without alluding to the fact both countries have been victims of cyberattacks from China-based entities.

Officials expect China to take note of all these developments before putting a monkey wrench in the NSG wheels that are inexorably moving towards facilitating India's membership, notwithstanding residual token objections from a few other hold-outs to extract small concessions.

While accommodating China's role — sans aggression — in the South China Sea does not appear to be an issue with India and US, the clinching of a US-India agreement to assert primacy in the Indian Ocean region, through which over 70% of the world's energy supplies pass, will be of more concern to Beijing.

Among the documents signed in the run-up to the Modi visit: a 'White Shipping' agreement that allows sharing of information about commercial shipping on the oceans that US officials said "will help India have a much better situational awareness, or maritime domain awareness, of what's going on in oceans around the country".

Such an agreement, as a piece of the overall security partnership between US and India, is expected to make China think about whether it is worthwhile to block India's entry to the NSG at the instance of its client state that has an established proliferation record — that too when the membership merely formalises what New Delhi has already achieved with the civilian nuclear deal waivers.

While the next NSG meeting is scheduled for June 20-24 in Seoul, no one is sure if China will take a call by then. Sources said it it really depends on what kind of concessions India and the US make to China in the meantime, and how much political capital Obama invests in the exercise.

US officials have said it is the Obama administration's stated objective to help India enter the NSG and President Obama is fully behind it.

Just ahead of last week's meeting, US secretary of state John Kerry, in fact, wrote letters to all NSG members rooting for India's entry, but it did not make an impression on the Chinese. It might now require President Obama to pick up the phone to talk to the Chinese leadership the way President Bush did in 2008 in case of the nuclear deal.


A resolution of the issue and a broader accommodation between the three countries could lead to a more agreeable G-10 summit on September 4-5, the first hosted by China. It will be the last time Obama and Modi, and possibly Xi Jinping, will be meeting as leaders of their countries.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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How Modi won over Mexico on NSG - Rajeev Deshpande, ToI
It took members of the Indian delegation travelling with PM Narendra Modi a while to figure out that Mexican president Enrique Nieto had switched plans and decided to drive his guest for a vegetarian taco beans dinner.

Though the fare was simple and perhaps bland, Modi would have found the meal rather satisfying as official talks had just ended with Nieto pledging to "positively and constructively" support India's case for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership.

The break from script as Modi wound up a five-nation tour that included a fruitful visit to the US was a special gesture on part of Nieto but also marked Modi's ability to use personalized diplomacy to good effect. Mexico's decision was significant as it has been a stronger supporter of the non-proliferation treaty as it played a decisive role in linking the accord with the treaty for prohibition of nuclear weapons in Latin America and Caribbean.


Given that the 1967 pact, also known as the Treaty of Tlatelolco, set key precedents for the NPT, Mexico's backing on the basis of India's non-proliferation record is more significant than that is immediately understood.

A key aspect of Modi's approach, feel sources close to events, is his ability to shrug off the burden of the past. A readiness to adopt a foreign policy that overcomes the "hesitations of history", as he told the US Congress, stems from not being part of a status quo that sees the political formulations of 'non-alignment' and 'socialism' as irrefutable.


Being able to confidently project India as a nation on the move along with a carefully nurtured image of being a self-made man won him support, drowning out efforts to organize protests against the PM.

Modi has unapologetically acknowledged that hype plays a role in generating a buzz around policies. But this is part of a strategy that focusses on outcomes. The end of a seven-and-a-half-year deadlock that opens the doors to nuclear commerce with the US is one such tipping point as it makes norms easier for defence cooperation.

Interacting with business leaders in the US, Modi patiently heard gripes on procedures for banking licences, delay in the GST law and land acquisition issues, and pointed out decisions taken by RBI and the government to ease rules.

Somewhat wryly, he urged assembled CEOs to keep up the pressure for faster reforms and improved ease of business. Before he reached the US, the success in getting Switzerland's backing for a seat at the NSG helped in creating a momentum. Though India still needs to scale the Chinese wall, incremental progress — and hype — might help.

Back from the Americas, Modi will soon leave for Africa where he will address public events at Johannesburg and Nairobi.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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More talks needed to build consensus on NSG: China - Reuters
China said on Sunday that more talks were needed to build a consensus on which countries can join the main group controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology, after a push by the United States to include India.

China is seen as leading opposition to the US move to include India in the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), but other countries, including New Zealand, Turkey, South Africa and Austria also oppose Indian membership, according to diplomats.

The NSG aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons by restricting the sale of items that can be used to make those arms.

India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact.

"Large differences" remain over the issue of non-NPT countries joining the NSG, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in an online statement.

"With regard to what to do on the issue of non-NPT signatories joining (the NSG), China consistently supports having ample discussion on this to seek consensus and agreement and come to a unanimous decision," Hong said.


"The NPT is the political and legal basis for the entire international non-proliferation system," Hong said, adding that China would support the group in further talks to come to a consensus at an early date.

Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate India's rival Pakistan, which responded to India's membership bid with one of its own and has the backing of its close ally China.

Pakistan joining would be unacceptable to many, given its track record. The scientist that headed its nuclear weapons programme ran an illicit network for years that sold nuclear secrets to countries including North Korea and Iran.
It would be a travesty if Pakistan ever joins the NSG without renouncing its nuclear weapons, leave alone joining NSG along with India on the same date.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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SSridhar
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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Modi dials Putin as China looks to delay NSG bid - Indrani Bagchi, ToI
As the tempo builds up on the NSG question, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Saturday. Russia has been supportive of India's global ambitions from the UN Security Council to the nuclear deal, though Modi's diplomatic focus has so far been on the US.

According to a Kremlin statement, the phone call on Saturday was at Modi's behest. "The leaders confirmed their intention to continue comprehensive deepening of bilateral relations, which have the character of a very privileged strategic partnership," it said.

Modi and Putin are also scheduled to meet soon. "The discussion focused on practical issues of the two countries' cooperation, including preparations for the top-level contacts to be held shortly," the statement added.

Modi may be lining up some big meetings in the days before the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) plenary, including with Chinese President Xi Jinping, possibly on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tashkent.

However, the official Chinese position only appears to have hardened against India's bid. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Sunday was quoted as saying "There was no deliberation on any items related to the accession to the NSG by India or any other countries that are not signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)."

He added, "China has noted that some non-NPT countries aspire to join the NSG but when it comes to the accession by non-NPT countries, China maintains that the group should have full discussions before forging consensus and making decisions based on agreement. The NPT provides a political and legal foundation for the international non-proliferation regime as a whole. China's position applies to all non-NPT countries and targets no one in particular."

The Chinese move right now appears to be to delay the entire NSG process until next year. Ultimately, the Chinese decision whether to support India or not will depend on one factor — how much China values the India relationship.

Sources said the Vienna meeting saw a diminishing number of voices raised against India. Countries like Ireland and Austria are insisting on processes that have to be followed.

But the opposition to India has crystallized to two countries — China and Turkey. While China is trying to bring in the NPT as a criterion, Turkey is the only country so far to insist on parity between India and Pakistan. Turkey has been a long-standing ally of Pakistan, particularly the Pakistan army. In recent times, India-Turkey ties have been on an upward trajectory but on balance Turkey would support Pakistan rather than India.

Quite apart from the PM, the foreign ministry itself has been on the frontlines of the global lobbying effort. Secretaries, heads of missions and joint secretaries have fanned out to put India's point of view in different capitals.

Russia has been supportive of India's global ambitions from the UN Security Council to the nuclear deal, though Modi's diplomatic focus has so far been on the United States.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by vera_k »

SSridhar wrote:We are simply not powerful enough to do like that. With 5 trillion reserves, we can attempt to do something like that as China is doing now in the form of AIIB etc.
No need for that much money to create leverage. It is possible to fund rebels in Namibia and Turkey for far less. Even cheaper if the arms supplied are manufactured in an Eastern country or locally by supplying manufacturing equipment.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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Shanghai meet crucial for NSG nod - Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu

It is not a meeting in Shanghai but refers to the SCO meeting in Tashkent.
After his visits to Washington, Mexico and Switzerland to garner support for India’s membership into the elite Nuclear Supplier’s Group (NSG), Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as Central Asian leaders, including Kazakh President Nazarbayev in Tashkent, to make a final attempt to push through India’s NSG membership.

The Shanghai Cooperation Agreement is a six-member Central Asian grouping seen as a counterpoint to the U.S.-European military bloc NATO.

Modi dials Putin

Significantly, Mr. Modi called President Putin on Saturday wishing him on Russia’s national day and confirming the meeting at the SCO. In a statement, the Kremlin said: “The discussion focused on practical issues of the two countries’ cooperation, including preparations for the top-level contacts to be held shortly.”

While refusing to confirm whether “the practical issues” included India’s NSG membership, MEA sources said Russia has always been “very supportive” of India’s NSG aspirations. But analysts say Mr. Modi may be hopeful of more: that Russia will use its influence with countries like Kazakhstan and Turkey, who are not yet convinced to back India, and most importantly, as a bridge with China, that has taken a tough position.

“Increasingly, Russia is moving in as a mediator between India and China,” says former Ambassador M.K. Bhadrakumar, pointing to the Russia-India-China meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended in Moscow in April, where the three hammered out an acceptable formulation on the contentious South China Sea. Since then, Mr. Bhadrakumar pointed out, India omitted the explicit reference to the South China Sea in the joint statement with the U.S. last week as well.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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vera_k wrote:
SSridhar wrote:We are simply not powerful enough to do like that. With 5 trillion reserves, we can attempt to do something like that as China is doing now in the form of AIIB etc.
No need for that much money to create leverage. It is possible to fund rebels in Namibia and Turkey for far less. Even cheaper if the arms supplied are manufactured in an Eastern country or locally by supplying manufacturing equipment.
When India joins NSG, it will be the only nuclear power in that grouping with the cleanest record.
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NSG divided on entry of non-NPT nations: China - PTI, The Hindu
Notwithstanding a U.S. push for India’s NSG membership, China said on Sunday that members of the elite club “remain divided” on the issue of non-NPT countries joining it.

“There was no deliberation on any item related to the accession to the NSG by India or other countries that are not signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT),” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei said in a statement, while referring to the Vienna meeting that took place last week.

He said the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Chair Argentine Ambassador Rafael Mariano Grossi convened an unofficial meeting of the 48-member group on June 9.

“The Chair said that this meeting has no agenda and is only convened to heed opinions from all parties on the outreach of the NSG and prepare for a report to be submitted at the NSG Plenary Meeting in Seoul later this month [June 24],” he said.

However, diplomatic sources in Vienna had said earlier that India’s membership was discussed at the meeting and talks had remained inconclusive.

China has maintained that non-NPT signatories should not be admitted into NSG on the grounds that it would undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. — PTI
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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ShauryaT wrote:
1) Now that India is set to become MTCR member, it can block China's entry into MTCR which China is trying get into since a decade. So China will factor this in when opposing India's NSG membership application.

2) First shipment of Brahmos missile should be going to Vietnam in the next few months!
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2) First shipment of Brahmos missile should be going to Vietnam in the next few months!
I think China will relent, otherwise second and third shipments should follow to the region...
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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India need not have had to seek NSG membership.
India need not have had to make desperate efforts now to get membership of elite NSG had Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru accepted the then US President John F Kennedy’s offer of helping the country detonate a nuclear device much before China did in 1964, according to former Foreign Secretary Maharajakrishna Rasgotra.
He also said that if Nehru had accepted the offer, not only would have India tested the nuclear device first in Asia, before China, but it also “would have deterred China from launching its war of 1962 and even imparted a note of caution to (Pakistan’s) Field Marshal Ayub Khan’s plans for war in 1965,” according to a Observer Research Foundation (ORF) release. Rasgotra was speaking at the release of his new book “A Life in Diplomacy” at ORF.
“Kennedy, who was an admirer of India’s democracy and held its leader Jawaharlal Nehru in very high esteem, felt that democratic India, not Communist China, should be the first Asian country to conduct a nuclear test,” he said. Kennedy’s hand-written letter was accompanied by a technical note from the chairman of the US Atomic Energy Commission, setting out the assistance his organisation would provide to Indian atomic scientists to detonate an American device from atop a tower in Rajasthan desert, the release said.
In the letter, Kennedy had said he and the American establishment were aware of Nehru’s strong views against nuclear tests and nuclear weapons, but emphasised the political and security threat China’s test would spell for Nehru’s government and India’s security, it said, adding the American leader’s letter emphasised that “nothing is more important than national security”.
There is just no limit to the damage caused to India's interests by the Nehru-Gandhi family.
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Dual diplomacy for Mission NSG - Rakesh Sood, The Hindu
Last week, the special meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) held in Vienna, to consider the issue of India’s application for joining the group, ended inconclusively. The matter will now be taken up at the plenary meeting scheduled for June 21-24 in Seoul. In mid-May, India formally applied to join the NSG, reflecting the political distance it has travelled.

The NSG (initially known as the London Club) came into being in 1974, in response to India’s peaceful nuclear explosion. Its original members were the U.S., U.S.S.R., U.K., France, West Germany, Canada and Japan. Realising that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was not robust enough and in any event, France was not party to the NPT and exporting sensitive nuclear technology (including to Pakistan which it then cancelled) {it was the Pu reprocessing facility. In the meanwhile, the UK & the US companies were exporting inverters to the Kahuta centrigugal enrichment facility being constructed.} , these seven countries adopted stringent guidelines for nuclear exports. Today, the NSG has grown to 48 countries and in order to get away from the notion of a ‘club’, members are called ‘Participating Governments’ (PGs).

After the first few years, the NSG remained dormant and, in fact, did not meet after 1977 till 1991, when concerns about Iraq’s nuclear programme surfaced following the first Gulf war. By this time, the NSG had expanded to 26 countries and moved quickly to expand controls to cover dual-use items and technologies that had contributed to Iraq’s programme. The second key change was that for non-nuclear weapon states, full-scope safeguards became the conditionality for nuclear transfers. Since then, it has had regular meetings, both at the technical and policy levels. Legally though, it remains an informal grouping of like-minded states committed to nuclear non-proliferation, implemented through a system of harmonised export controls. Decisions in the group are taken by consensus.

India’s long journey

Contrary to popular perception, India has never been an ‘outlier state’ and though not a member of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, has maintained an impeccable non-proliferation record coupled with a strong commitment to controlling exports of nuclear materials, equipments and technologies.

After the 1998 nuclear tests when India became a nuclear weapon state, India tightened its systems further by introducing new laws and for nearly a decade, has been a voluntary adherent to the NSG guidelines. For over five years, it has been engaged in a formal dialogue with the NSG before deciding last month to apply formally to become a PG.

Since 1998, the India-U.S. dialogue has gone through three phases. The first phase was to obtain relief from the sanctions imposed on India by the U.S. and other countries. This objective was achieved in large measure by 2003. The emerging green shoots of strategic convergence led to the launch of the ‘Next Steps in Strategic Partnership’ by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and U.S. President George Bush in the second phase.

Following its conclusion, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Bush decided to move towards restoring bilateral civil nuclear cooperation. This needed changes in U.S. law which, in turn, required waiver from the NSG guidelines since as a nuclear weapon state, India could not accept full-scope safeguards. This challenging third phase took three years and finally, in 2008, the NSG provided an exceptional waiver to India clearing the way for India to enter into civilian nuclear cooperation agreements. Agreements with the U.S., France and Russia relating to setting up of new nuclear power plants and long-term agreements for supply of uranium fuel with nearly a dozen countries have since been concluded.

The exceptional waiver provided by the NSG in 2008 was an acknowledgement of India’s non-proliferation record. Yet, it was also a politically driven decision, backed strongly by the U.S. (and Russia and France) which did the heavy lifting with President Bush and other senior members of his administration making phone calls to persuade the leaders of some of the reluctant NSG members.

Wanting to put an end to the myth of India being an ‘outlier’ to the non-proliferation regime, and as a potential exporter of nuclear, missile and other related sensitive technologies, India declared its intention to join NSG, MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime), Australia Group (set up to control exports of chemical and biological agents), and Wassenaar Arrangement (covering exports of munitions and dual-use goods and technologies). The U.S. backed India’s decision and the joint statement issued following President Barack Obama’s visit in 2010 stated “the U.S. intends to support India’s full membership in the four multilateral export control regimes”; this has been reiterated at subsequent summits. The reality is that joining NSG offers political advantage because the 2008 waiver has already enabled India to engage in civil nuclear cooperation. Today, India is a voluntary adherent to NSG guidelines; as a PG, this will become a legal obligation.

Since the NSG is an informal grouping consisting of PGs (and not member states), it has set out five factors for considering applications of prospective PGs. These are — the ability to supply items on NSG control lists; acting in accordance with NSG guidelines; a legally based export control system; support international non-proliferation efforts; and finally, membership of treaties like the NPT that require full-scope safeguards. Evidently India more than fulfils the first four but cannot meet the last ‘consideration’; however, these are not mandatory criteria but factors for consideration.

Games nations play

In 2008, China was unhappy about the NSG decision but preferred to work with other countries like Ireland, Switzerland and Austria who believed that the India waiver would weaken the non-proliferation regime. Once these countries were persuaded otherwise, China joined the consensus. This time since Pakistan put in its application a week after India, China has been open in voicing its opposition {Pakistan was made to put in its application by China even as Pakistan also saw many benefits in doing so. It was a coordinated effort between China & Pakistan. China sensed correctly that opposition to India might be weak from other countries after what happened in c. 2008 and wanted some other ruse to object and hence the Pakistani plan.}. China maintains that an exception for India would weaken the non-proliferation rules; since there is Pakistan’s application too, a criterion-based approach should be developed; and finally, nothing should be done in hurry that would upset the South Asian balance. The first argument is designed to appeal to some of the smaller countries who had resisted in 2008; China’s real objective is to delay India’s joining, keep it hyphenated with Pakistan and restricted to South Asia.

China joined the NSG in 2004; at that stage it had two power reactor projects in Pakistan, Chashma I and II, of 325 MW and 340 MW capacity, respectively. Chashma I was already operational and Chashma II went online in 2011. After the India-U.S. agreement was announced in 2005, China declared that it would also be building new reactors in Pakistan. Since this was a clear violation of NSG guidelines (Pakistan does not enjoy a similar exception like India got in 2008), China ‘grandfathered’ the announcement by citing an earlier commitment that it had omitted to mention in 2004! A contract for Chashma III and IV was signed in 2009 and an announcement for Chashma V made in 2013 {KANUPP III & IV at Karachi were also announced by China in c. 2013 with the same reactor type as Chashma V}. Given its proliferation record, Pakistan is unlikely to obtain nuclear cooperation from other NSG members but China would find Pakistan a useful ally in the NSG.

Two-track diplomacy


In Vienna, knowing that the meeting would be inconclusive, India’s objective was to gauge opposition and ensure that the matter be discussed in Seoul. Meanwhile India needs to pursue two diplomatic tracks simultaneously. One track should focus on those countries that reportedly raised concerns about the impact of an India exception on the regime. Ireland, Switzerland and Mexico have been brought around; South Africa, New Zealand, Austria and Turkey still need to be persuaded.

The second track should focus on China. The reality is that Pakistan is not ready to join the NSG. It has not separated its military and civilian nuclear programmes; safeguard agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency for its civilian programme are yet to be negotiated; and accession to the Additional Protocol is pending. China knows this and is employing dilatory tactics. The question is whether an assurance that India would refrain from blocking Pakistan’s subsequent bid will work. An indication to this effect is there in U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s letter to NSG members urging them to support India’s bid and adding that with respect to other applications (read Pakistan), “India would take a merit-based approach and would not be influenced by extraneous (read bilateral) regional issues”. Put simply, India could be admitted this year at Seoul and Pakistan’s application would be considered on merit after it completes the necessary requirements thereafter.

In a move reminiscent of the old Chinese strategy game Go, India also pushed through its MTCR membership earlier this month. China’s application has been on hold since 2004 on account of its missile proliferation activities with North Korea. This would not have gone unnoticed in Beijing.

As a Chinese diplomat once explained, major powers do not seek favours from each other nor do they push each other into inextricable corners; they extract favourable outcomes by blocking moves of others.{Mao famously said that the enemy should never be cornered in such a way that they cannot escape since otherwise they would fight back; there should always be an escape path} Beijing realises that the Asian century cannot be China’s alone. The Go board is interestingly set and needs skilful and sensitive play to ensure a positive outcome.

Rakesh Sood, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation till May 2014, is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, Delhi.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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India's NSG membership will touch 'raw nerve' with Pakistan: Chinese official media - PTI
Vehemently opposing India's NSG bid, Chinese official media in first comments since China's objection said today that New Delhi's membership will not only touch a "raw nerve" in Pakistan and increase a nuclear arms race but also "jeopardise" Beijing's national interests.

An op-ed commentary in state-run Global Times titled " India mustn't let nuclear ambitions blind itself " said New Delhi's NSG membership will set off a nuclear confrontation in the region.

"India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers in the region, keep alert to each other's nuclear capabilities. India's application for NSG membership and its potential consequences will inevitably touch a raw nerve in Pakistan, its traditional rival in the region.

"As Pakistan is not willing to see an enlarging gap in nuclear power with India, a nuclear race is a likely outcome. This will not only paralyse regional security, but also jeopardise China's national interests," said the commentary, the first write-up on the issue since Beijing's opposition to India's bid.

"Last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a diplomatic journey, travelling halfway across the world with his top goal to garner support for his country's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)" ahead of the plenary meeting of the group expected to be held in Seoul on June 24.

"The US and some NSG members have given a push to India's membership bid, but the reported opposition from most countries, especially China, seems to have irritated India," it said.

Reports from Vienna where the NSG is based said that while majority of the 48-member group backed India's membership, China along with New Zealand, Ireland, Turkey, South Africa and Austria were opposed to India's admission.

The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. The group works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid.

"Beijing insists that a prerequisite of New Delhi's entry is that it must be a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) while India is not. Despite acknowledging this legal and systematic requirement, the Indian media called China's stance "obstructionist"," the commentary said.

"India has its own calculations for joining the NSG. Eyeing retaining the fastest growing economy tag, India's access to the NSG, a body that regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for India's domestic nuclear energy programme.

"Meanwhile, with the support of the US, India can advance its development in this regard," it said.

"The deliberations of the US are also clear. With India's NSG membership, the US, the world's largest producer of nuclear power, can sell its nuclear technology to India. A US company is set to build six nuclear reactors in India, an agreement made between the two countries during Modi's recent visit to the US," it said.


Beyond cooperation in the nuclear sector, the US views India as a "balancing actor in its pivot to the Asia-Pacific strategy". Its supply of nuclear technologies to enhance India's deterrence capability is to put China in check, it said.

"What is missing in US and Indian motives are concerns for regional security. So far, South Asia is still facing the harsh reality that the region is mired in nuclear confrontation," it said.

"China insists on peaceful development. A peaceful regional and global environment is in the interests of all stakeholders. China's concern about India's inclusion into the NSG comes out of the security dynamic in South Asia.

"Only when New Delhi and Islamabad take another step forward in their nonproliferation commitments can the region avoid being dragged into a nuclear confrontation," it said.


On Sunday, China had said members of the elite club "remain divided" on the issue of non-NPT countries joining it and insisted that there "was no deliberation" on the bid by India and other nations at the Vienna meeting.

What a noble thought from the world's greatest proliferator !
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by Gagan »

China is doing a big huge sho-shaa. I wants more trade concessions from India and the US.
The other thing is that as part of NSG, India will be able to supply cost effective nuclear related parts, which china wants to monopolize. China wants to be the walmart of cheap chinese supplied reactors & components and does not want competition.

Chinese don't really really care about pakhistan - whatever they may be saying aloud. This round of parleys to get the chinese vote will be worth billions of dollars of trade permissions to the chinese.

But it is a bit saddening to see the fossilized and garib thinking of the strategic experts. One comment in that video goes like,
Mr Bhadrakumar's Red shirt had helped me figure out who Chinese spoke person is in this panel.
Disgusted.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by Varoon Shekhar »

"Security dynamics of South Asia"

What about the security dynamics of Asia, including East Asia? India is concerned about China and North Korea, not just Pakistan.

Incidentally, why the @#$%^&* aren't Indian spokesmen being more outspoken about this i.e that India's concern wrt nuclear weapons is not just restricted to Pakistan? And why aren't Indian commentators also bringing this up? India and China, as everyone should know by now, are not the best of friends, and there is certainly a potential for conflict.

So why the shyness and coyness with regard to mentioning China?
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by shyamoo »

Does the current restriction on transfer of nuclear power plants to non-NSG members apply to Thorium based reactors? If so, the entry into club becomes all the more important. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we ahead of everyone else in Thorium based reactor research?
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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Eye on NSG: India hopeful of winning over Turkey, South Africa - Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, Economic Times
India, as it prepares for what could be described as a photo-finish at the Seoul plenary of the Nuclear Suppliers Group on June 23-24, is hopeful that its diplomatic outreach will be able convince the skeptics like South Africa and Turkey (both NSG members) which for separate reasons are blocking India's prospective membership.

While South Africa has made India's non-NPT signatory status as the key reason to oppose India's bid at the high table, Turkey wants its close partner Pakistan to also enter the grouping. However, official sources remain hopeful that South Africa will finally lift its opposition. Incidentally Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting South Africa in early part of July along with three other countries in that continent. Sources pointed out to South Africa's close and historical relations with India will be guiding factor for the Jacob Zuma government in tilting in India's favour.

Incidentally neither South Africa nor Turkey unlike Austria, Ireland, New Zealand and China was opposed to a clean waiver for India in 2008. "South Africa is in two-minds regarding India's decision to seek membership of NSG. There's ongoing internal debate within the administration on the issue," a source in the South African government told ET.

As the apartheid rule was nearing end South Africans abandoned nuclear weapons and thereafter joined NPT as a non nuclear weapons state. Since then it has championed global nuclear non-proliferation and joined Pelindaba Treaty in 1996 along with 42 other states for African nuclear weapon free zone. It is also a signatory to CTBT. However, there are reports that South Africa possesses dual use nuclear capabilities.

The Modi government also remains hopeful of Turkish support for it's quest for NSG membership notwithstanding Ankara's partnership with Islamabad. Post 1947 Turkey saw Pakistan as inheritor of undivided India and since then its Army developed close ties with its Pak counterpart. Many Pak Generals including former President Pervez Musharraf were trained in Turkey. Indian officials recall that in 2008 it was easy for Turkey to extend support for NSG clean waiver to India as Pakistan was not in the race in any way.

Meanwhile, after President's visit to New Zealand, India has also tried to reach out to Wellington through resource persons to discuss the issue of its opposition to India's application for NSG summited on May 12. On June 9 NSG Vienna meet India's application was admitted amid objections by above mentioned NSG members in addition to China
on the process be applied for entry of non-NPT states. It is also understood that USA following its good relations with New Zealand could prevail upon it to support India's case at NSG. Officials indicated that discussions are also ongoing with Austria to garner their support by narrowing the differences.

Meanwhile, after China's foreign ministry spokesperson remarks on India's NSG membership Chinese official media The Global Times on Tuesday noted that the membership will touch "raw nerve" in Pakistan, increase nuclear arms race and even jeopardise Beijing's national interests. This commentary indicated that that NSG membership will give India access to technology and in turn boost its economy.
So, it is Turkey, South Africa, New Zealand & China now.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by asgkhan »

China talking about nuclear security is like a wh0re preaching the virtues of virginity.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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Kiwis soft on India’s NSG bid, Turkey backs Pak - ToI
While some holdouts like New Zealand seem to be softening their position on India's NSG membership, seeking only a criteria-based process for group expansion and not a one-time exception to any country, Turkey continues to bat for Pakistan, insisting that applications of both India and Pakistan be considered simultaneously.

Adviser to Pakistan's PM on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has thanked Turkey for its "principled" position on the issue.

Reports from Vienna, where the NSG met last week to chalk out the agenda for the upcoming plenary, had earlier said that Turkey was among a handful of countries, including New Zealand, Austria, Ireland and South Africa which had opposed membership for India as it had not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Countries like New Zealand and Austria, following the US diplomatic push which saw secretary of state John Kerry writing to all NSG members asking them to not block the consensus for India's membership, have relented a little and seem willing to work towards a compromise.

Aziz on Wednesday spoke to the foreign ministers of Turkey and Austria, Mevlut Cavusoglu and Sebastian Kurg respectively.

"Adviser thanked Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu for the principled position adopted by Turkey at the Vienna meeting that the membership applications of both India and Pakistan be considered together," Pakistan said in a statement.

Aziz also spoke to Argentina's foreign minister Susana Malcorra to highlight "Pakistan's credentials for NSG membership" and emphasized the importance of a non-discriminatory approach towards NSG expansion to the non-NPT states.

Aziz has declared that Pakistan was sure to get membership on merit if the gates of NSG were opened for India.

He recently spoke with Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentilioni, New Zealand foreign minister Murray McCully and foreign minister of Republic of Korea Yun Byung-se to seek their support. Aziz had earlier spoken over telephone with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on the issue.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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Beijing could support India’s entry into NSG if it plays by rules: Chinese media

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-new ... s0C1N.html

Not sure How big "IF" it will be
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From the above,
As a crucial defender of the international system against nuclear proliferation, China does not wish to see the political and legal foundation of global nuclear security to be challenged by any party who does not abide by rules,”
:rotfl:

The year has still half left but I am certain that there won't be a bigger joke than the above in the remaining period.

All the three bolded parts are false.

China is simply *NOT* considered, by any stretch of imagination by anybody, as a 'crucial defender against nuclear proliferation'. In fact, it is *THE* biggest proliferator on earth.

China challenges not only global security by its proliferation but also world peace and world order by violating all bilateral, multilateral agreements, conventions etc that it is itself party to, like, for example, NPT, NSG, UNCLOS etc.

If one makes a comparison between India & China on who 'abides by rules', China does not come anywhere closer to India.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by Lisa »

There remains the distinct possibility that if China does not toe the US line, then the process of admission via a consensus will be broken and a majority vote sought. India will assail in such an endeavour but China will be insulted when the same is done for pukis application IF the tally is made public.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by JE Menon »

I'm sure that we will play as much by the rules, if not more so, than the Chinese did, and still do. That, I am quite certain, the vast majority of NSG members are clear about. What they need to consider is, whether it is better for us to be inside playing by the rules like China did (and still does) or outside, playing by those same rules. We have friends who mean well to all, like Vietnam, South Korea, Philippines, and Japan even in some respects... not to mention a democratizing Burma.

But, one thing is sure, none of them are iron brothers like China's main partners North Korea and Pakistan, nor are Indian relationships with our friends deeper than honey, sweeter than mountains, harder than water, softer than dix...
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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X Posted from the “Managing Chinese Threat (09-08-2014)” thread.

Fu Xiaoqiang a “research fellow with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations” writing in the P.R. China Government Controlled paper Global Times on India’s Nuclear Supplier Group aka NSG membership.

Presuming Fu Xiaoqiang is parroting the Communist line, P.R.China seems happy to accept India’s NSG membership in exchange for India subordinating her foreign policy to toeing P.R.China’s line:
As long as all NSG members reach a consensus over how a non-NPT member could join the NSG, and India promises to comply with stipulations over the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons while sticking to its policy of independence and self-reliance, China could support New Delhi's path toward the club.
Beijing could support India’s NSG accession path if it plays by rules
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

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Despite staunch support of India to liberate Non-Whites from the horrors of Apartheid, South Africa is playing spoiler regards India’s Nuclear Supplier Group membership. This despite a prior assurance in May 2015 by South Africa to support India. IDSA on the subject:

India’s Entry into NSG: Why is South Africa holding out?
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US urges Nuclear Suppliers Group members to support India's membership - PTI
The US has urged members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to support India's membership into the elite grouping.

"The United States calls on Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) participating governments to support India's application when it comes up at the NSG plenary, which I think is next week," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.

"I'm not going to get ahead of how that's going to go or hypothesise and speculate about where it's going to go, but we've made clear that we support the application," Kirby said in response to a question.

During the US visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, US President Barack Obama welcomed India's application to the 48-member grouping.

Earlier, ahead of a meeting here US Secretary of State John Kerry had written a letter to the NSG member countries which are not supportive of India's bid, saying they should "agree not to block consensus on Indian admission".

A joint statement issued after talks between Modi and Obama said the US called on NSG participating governments to support India's application when it comes up at the NSG Plenary later this month.

The US support has come a day after China's official media expressed concern about India's entry, saying it will "shake" the strategic balance in South Asia and make India a "legitimate" nuclear power.
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Re: Tracking India's Admission into International Groups

Post by schinnas »

arun wrote:Despite staunch support of India to liberate Non-Whites from the horrors of Apartheid, South Africa is playing spoiler regards India’s Nuclear Supplier Group membership. This despite a prior assurance in May 2015 by South Africa to support India. IDSA on the subject:

India’s Entry into NSG: Why is South Africa holding out?
China has been enjoying immense influence over South Africa. Few years ago, it forced SA government to revoke visa to Dalai Lama for a some meeting of all Nobel peace laurates in the world. This is despite recent struggle against colonialism that SA had to endure and Dalai Lama's position as the oppressed. When that is the case, we should not expect SA to grow a backbone against China when it comes to affairs related to India. Finally money talks. Interesting, what a difference of 8 years has done to erode US' influence the world over.
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