While India got a big diplomatic boost on Tuesday, with the members of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a key anti-proliferation grouping, agreeing to grant it membership, it will have to wait for an entry into the elite nuclear trading club Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG), due to stiff opposition from China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who held two-hour long bilateral talks with the US President Barrack Obama, the seventh since he assumed office, called for a regime of “climate justice” where India will have access to clean energy, an oblique reference asking the West to get its act together to help it in nuclear trading and to fund non-conventional energy programmes, to allow India to switch from fossil fuel to clean energy and thereby adhere to Paris Climate Change agenda. Sources here said that both leaders will coordinate to convince Chinese leadership of the need for India to have access to nuclear materials at the G-20 summit scheduled in the city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province of China.
Soon after the meeting, Obama while welcoming Modi talked about the necessity of implementing the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Modi pledged to ratify the Agreement, but called for climate justice and help from the US and other countries to help India in clean energy. “Discussed with Modi how to bring Paris climate agreement into force as quickly as possible,” said Obama.
The US President expressed support for India's candidature for NSG, saying it requires technology. It is believed that US-based Westinghouse will sign a deal with Nuclear Power Corporation of India by June 2017 for six nuclear reactors in India. The Export-Import Banks of both the countries will work together towards a competitive financing package for the nuclear reactors. “Obama extended support to Missile Technology Control Regime and Nuclear Suppliers Group, will always be grateful,” Modi said. Obama said they discussed regional security issues and also decided to work together on cyber security issues.
While there was no word about other issues like logistical support and other defence related agreements, the joint statement released after the bilateral meeting indicates rejuvenated ties between the two nations, with US not only backing India’s geopolitical ambitions but also investing in the nation, with the aim to tap the $500 million Indian market.
Indicating massive amount of investment from the United States in India, Modi said, “India is a young country with 800 million population, beneath the age of 35. Our partnership with the US will help immensely,” Modi said. According to sources, Obama has assured massive amounts of US investment through F, which would, in turn, create massive job opportunities in India.
Coinciding with this visit, India’s admission to the MTCR is seen as a big takeaway from Modi’s visit with help from the US. It would open the way for India to buy high-end missile technology, also making more realistic its aspiration to buy state-of-the-art surveillance drones such as the US Predator, made by General Atomics. It will also help India to promote and export its supersonic cruise missile, the Brahmos, in a joint venture with Russia. Membership of the rules-based MTCR would require India to comply with rules - such as a maximum missile range of 300 km - that seek to prevent arms races from developing.
The deadline for the members of the 34-nation group to object to India's admission had expired on Monday without any of them raising objections.
