- Sushma Swaraj says ‘Modi-Sharif warmth’ can help resolve complex issues between India and Pakistan
- Says India is not opposed to Pakistan’s membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group
- Insists Beijing is only discussing ‘criteria and procedure’ and is not opposed to inclusion of India in NSG
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday that the “warmth and ease” in the relationship between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif can help resolve complex issues between the two neighbours.
She said that Pakistan has not refused to allow a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team to visit Pakistan to probe the Pathankot airbase attack case and has just sought “more time”.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, she said India will not oppose Pakistan’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
“We are not opposed to any country’s entrance into NSG based on merit, including Pakistan’s,” Swaraj said, according to Indian media reports.
Swaraj also clarified that China is not opposed to India’s membership of the NSG, amid reports of Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar’s ‘unannounced’ visit to China last week to woo Beijing’s support for India’s entry into the NSG.
A meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping may also be on the cards at an upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent, Uzbekistan this week.
The NSG is a 48-nation club dedicated to curbing nuclear arms proliferation by controlling the export and re-transfer of materials that could foster nuclear weapons development.
The group’s membership has signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) but India has refused to do so.
India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed nuclear weapons and never signed the NPT, the main global arms control pact.
Opponents argue that granting it membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation.
China has led the opposition to a push by the US and other major powers for India to join the main club of countries controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology.
Last week, Indian media quoted a state-run Chinese daily as saying a US-backed move to make India a member of the NSG will be good neither for Pakistan nor for China, and would set off nuclear instability in South Asia.
SUSHMA SETS DOWN THE RULES:
Asserting that India wants to resolve all the vexing issues with Pakistan through talks, Swaraj said the government is pursuing a three-point formula to deal with Islamabad, the focus of which is that talks cannot go on if Pakistan does not take action to contain terror.
“First, we want to solve every issue thorough talks. Second, talks will be between India and Pakistan and no third country or party will be its part. Third, terror and talks will not go hand-in-hand,” Swaraj said.
Swaraj said there have been complex issues between the two countries and it would not be practical to expect their resolution soon.
“After the Pathankot attack, there were expectations from the government and people that there should be some concrete steps from their side. This expectation is not unreasonable. So we are waiting for concrete steps from their side,” she said.
The external affairs minister said Pakistan has not refused to allow a team of the NIA to visit Pakistan to carry forward the probe into the Pathankot terror attack case and that it is just seeking “more time” to examine the evidence.
A five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan had visited India between March 27 and 31 to collect evidence with regard to the attack.
India has been maintaining that since the JIT’s visit was on a reciprocal basis, the NIA team investigating the case would like to visit Pakistan.
Swaraj said the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad had met the authorities on the issue twice and “they said they are analysing (the evidence). They have not refused (to allow NIA to visit). They just said they want more time”.
The Indian foreign minister said Pakistan’s attitude after the Pathankot air base attack in India has been different as compared to previous instances. “Nawaz Sharif himself offered to help with the Pathankot probe,” she said.
“We have difficult issues to resolve with Pakistan. There is ease and warmth in the relations between the two countries at present.”
She said that foreign secretary-level talks between Pakistan and India have not been cancelled, but that India is awaiting completion of the Pathankot probe by Pakistan.
Intelligent diplomacy by India at NSG Conference in Seoul to deliver message to China to tone down their opposition, with this India is likely to be approved and will enter the group. As Pakistan without a competent FM may have resistance from USA.
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