India is keen to become a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as it seeks to significantly expand its nuclear power generation and also enter the export market in near future. The entry into the elite group purely depends on the approval of all members.
In a bid to gain assurance from member countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hurriedly included visits to Switzerland and Mexico during his tour to the US last month to obtain support for India's membership at the NSG plenary in Seoul on June 23-24.
Read: As Modi comes calling, Mexico backs India's bid to join NSG
NSG was formed in the aftermath of India’s 1974 nuclear test with the aim of ensuring non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear technology. The group frames and implements agreed rules for exporting nuclear equipments, with a view to controlling the spread of nuclear weapons.
The 48 members of the NSG include the five nuclear weapon states — United Sttaes, United Kingdom, France, China and Russia. The other 43 are signatories to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). India is not a signatory to the NPT which it believes is discriminatory.
Read: NSG applications of Pak, India should be considered together: Pakistan
Countries like Australia initially opposed India's entry but later changed their stance. While United States, Mexico and Switzerland are the latest to voice support, Indiamay face resistance from one country — China. Until China accepts India’s entry, there is no hope of membership.
Read: China opposes India's entry into NSG, wants Pakistan too
As India’s membership to the NSG will give it an upper hand to block Pakistan from its membership, China is all out to play its power game. It is pushing to include Pakistan, pointing out that India is a non-signatory to the NPT and cannot become a member.
However, India's contention is that its nuclear technologies are indigenously developed and it has a clean non proliferation record unlike Pakistan. China’s non-proliferation record too is tainted with allegations that it has helped Pakistan on the sly.
With depleting fossil fuels, India has been looking to scale up its nuclear power production which is possible only after India becomes a part of NSG. Even if India can buy power plants from the global market courtesy the NSG waiver in 2008, there are still many types of technologies India can be denied as it is outside the NSG.
India's NSG membership will help the country gain access to broad range of technology ranging from medicine to building nuclear power plants from other NSG members which are essentially a traders’ cartel.
Read: Countries resisting India's bid to join NSG soften stand
India is not in a position to immediately sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and gain access to technologies considering its unstable and unpredictable neighbourhood. It is also unlikely to accede to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) that puts curbs on any further nuclear tests.
With access to latest technology, India can commercialize the production of nuclear power equipment. This, in turn will boost innovation and high tech manufacturing in India and can be leveraged for economic and strategic benefits — to perfectly complement India's Make in India programme.
Once India get access to advanced nuclear technologies, it can start building updated versions of its own fast breeder reactor and sell it to neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. Bangladesh is seeking to buy Russian reactors for power generation.
Having the ability to offer its own nuclear power plants to the world means will become a chest-thumping moment for India at the same time give a big boost to the Make in India programme.
