India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) will also deteriorate the security balance in South Asia, Chinese daily Global Times has said. According to the daily, approving India’s membership application could also trigger a nuclear race in the subcontinent.
NSG is a group of 48 countries that control access to sensitive nuclear technology in the world.
In a commentary titled “India must not let nuclear ambitions blind itself”, the state-run newspaper said that “China’s concern about India’s inclusion into the NSG comes out of the security dynamic in South Asia” and that approval of India’s entry into NSG will “inevitably touch a raw nerve in Pakistan, its traditional rival in the region.”
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the US and Mexico to get support of these countries on India’s entry into the NSG. India’s application for NSG membership is expected to be taken up in next plenary in Seoul on June 24. Mexico has agreed to support the India’s NSG membership, and while US and some other NSG members are giving a push to India’s membership bid, China has emerged as the main stumbling block to India’s entry into the group. Reports from Vienna said that while most of the NSG members are backing India’s membership, China along with Ireland, New Zealand, Turkey, South Africa and Austria are opposed to India’s admission.
“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 paralyze regional security, but also jeopardize China’s national interests,” the daily said.
“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 non-proliferation commitments can the region avoid being dragged into a nuclear confrontation,” it said.
According to the Global Times, China has always insisted that India must sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty to become a member of the NSG.
Many international reports in the past have said that Pakistan is likely to have 350 nuclear weapons in about a decade, and if this is true, Pakistan would be having the world’s third-largest nuclear stockpile after the US and Russia.
The daily said America is supporting New Delhi to sell it nuclear technology and to increase “India’s deterrence capability is to put China in check”.
“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,” said the daily said.
