New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today managed to secure Switzerland’s support for India’s bid for entry in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) – a 48-member club of nuclear trading nations.
India has been ruled out of NSG since decades after it refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty while it developed its own nuclear technology.
To get the membership of NSG, India sent a document called ‘adherence to NSG’ to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The document listed laws that are changed or introduced in order to match with NSG’s guidelines.
While India is vying for a membership to the 48-member NSG, it is pertinent to understand what exactly Nuclear Suppliers Group is and how India, as its member, will benefit from it.
Formation of NSG
Nuclear Suppliers Group is a multi-national body, including 48 countries, that aims at controlling exports of nuclear materials, equipment and technology through the implementation of two sets of Guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports.
The NSG Guidelines also contain the Non-Proliferation Principle that was introduced in 1994. This multilateral treaty aims at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons. Under the treaty, a supplier can only authorise a transfer when it is sure that the transfer would not result in the misuse of nuclear weapons.
The NSG was founded in response to the Indian nuclear test in May 1974, which used fuel illegally diverted from a nuclear reactor that was supplied to India for peaceful uses. It first met in November 1975 in London and is therefore popularly referred to as the “London Club”.
The nuclear explosion by a non-nuclear-weapon nation indicated that nuclear technology transferred for peaceful purposes could be misused for development of nuclear weapons.
The NSG initially started with the participation of seven governments – Canada, West Germany, France, Japan and the Soviet Union. The number of participating nations grew with the passage of time and now it includes 48 countries.
Membership Criteria of NSG
These are the five requisite factors that are mandatory for participation in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
- The ability to supply items (including items in transit) specified in the Guidelines.
- Adherence to the NSG Guidelines and action in accordance with them.
- Enforcement of a domestic export control regime.
- Adherence to one or more of the Non-Proliferation Treaties and full compliance with the obligations of such agreement.
- Support of international efforts towards non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and of their delivery vehicles.
How will India benefit if it becomes a NSG member
- With the help of this membership, India is seeking easy transfer of nuclear technology and raw materials among nations.
- Becoming a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group will ensure stability in business environment even if a government changes or falls.
- Apart from helping India procure more fuel and nuclear components, the membership will also give an opportunity to tap the global market.
- Last but not the least, it will also help India further its clean energy plans.
India’s bid for NSG membership
India, which is already abiding by the NSG Guidelines without being a member, has been reaching out to all representatives across the 48 member nations to support India’s case. The NSG will meet on June 9 and 10 in Vienna to discuss new applicants.
While Barack Obama indicated US’ support to India for gaining NSG membership just two days ago, Switzerland also promised to support India in its efforts to become a member of NSG.
However, China has been constantly raising objections to India’s bid for NSG membership. In fact, it has backed Pakistan’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Experts believe that India’s NSG application is in a precarious position for several reasons, chief among them being China’s assertion that if NSG makes an exception for India, then its members should do the same for Pakistan.
It is important to mention here that Islamabad was caught selling nuclear weapons secrets to Libya and was defamed globally.
