France today said that it remains optimistic over India acquiring membership of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Without naming China, which has been consistently opposing India’s NSG membership, National Security Advisor of France Jacques Audibert said that he won't urge any country in particular but France will make sure that India’s bid is re-introduced and Paris will try its best to bring more people on board and ensure that next time it is more successful.
Jacques Audibert’s statement comes after China went on record saying that NSG membership cannot be offered by the Obama administration to India as a "farwell gift".
"We not only voted for it, we postponed it for India, so we've not given up,” Jacques Audibert said while speaking at the ongoing Raisina dialogue 2017 in New Delhi.
On Tuesday, Audibert called on Prime Minister Modi and handed over a letter from the French President Francois Hollande to him.
In his letter, the French president conveyed his commitment to further strengthen France's Strategic Partnership with India and extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit France.
