Prime Minister Narendra Modi with British Premier David Cameron. PTI file photo

London, June 17

British Premier David Cameron has assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the UK’s “firm support” for India’s NSG membership bid, a boost to the country ahead of the nuclear trading club’s crucial meeting next week.

Cameron confirmed Britain’s backing for India’s membership of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in a telephone call to Modi yesterday.

A Downing Street spokesperson said, “The Prime Minister spoke to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about India’s application for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a group of nuclear supplier countries that works together to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.”

“The Prime Minister confirmed that the UK would firmly support India’s application. They agreed that in order for the bid to be successful it would be important for India to continue to strengthen its non-proliferation credentials, including by reinforcing the separation between civil and military nuclear activity,” the spokesperson said.

The two leaders also took stock of UK-India ties in their telephonic conversation.

“They agreed that the UK-India relationship was going from strength to strength, including through the recent visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and wife Kate),” the spokesperson said.

India’s case for NSG membership is also being strongly pushed by the US, which has written to other members to support India’s bid at the plenary meeting of the group expected to be held in Seoul on June 24.

While majority of the elite group backed India’s membership, China along with New Zealand, Ireland, Turkey, South Africa and Austria were opposed to India’s admission.

China maintains opposition to India’s entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

China wants NSG membership for its close ally Pakistan if NSG extends any exemption for India.

India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France.

The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector.

India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country’s vote against India will scuttle its bid. — PTI

US urges NSG members to support India’s membership

US has backed India”s bid for NSG. PTI file

Washington, June 17

The US has urged members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to support India’s membership into the elite grouping.“The United States calls on 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 on Thursday.“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.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd)During the US visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, US President Barack Obama welcomed India’s application to the 48-member grouping.The US has been pushing for India’s NSG membership.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.India, though not a member, enjoys the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules for its atomic cooperation deal with the US.The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country’s vote against India will scuttle its bid.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. PTI