At least 10 countries opposed India’s bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), an editorial in China’s state-run “Global Times” on Tuesday said. It rejected accusations in India that Beijing was solely responsible for quashing New Delhi’s bid to join the 48-member nuclear club.“The NSG had a plenary meeting in Seoul last week, and all members participated in a special conference on Thursday evening about the accession of non-participants of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) into the NSG. At least 10 countries, including China, opposed their bid,” said the edit.
The daily stressed that lack of India’s membership of the NPT — the cornerstone of NSG membership — was the chief obstacle in New Delhi’s path to becoming a member of the nuclear club.“Since its foundation in 1975, all NSG members shall be NPT signatories. This has become the primary principle of the organisation. Now India wants to be the first exception to join the NSG without signing the NPT. It is morally legitimate for China and other members to upset India’s proposal in defense of principles,” it said.
The write-up attributed mainstream India’s sharp reaction to the rejection of New Delhi’s membership application in Seoul to the sustained “adulation” of India by the western powers. It said, “Recent years have seen the Western world giving too many thumbs up to India, but thumbs down to China. India is spoiled. Although the South Asian country’s GDP accounts for only 20 per cent of that of China, it is still a golden boy in the eyes of the West, having a competitive edge and more potential compared to China. The international ‘adulation’ of India makes the country a bit smug in international affairs.”
‘The U.S. is not the whole world’
It observed that India had “ignored” that the United States, which has supported New Delhi NSG bid, was not in a position to commandeer the global agenda. “[The] U.S. backing adds the biggest impetus to India’s ambition. By cozying up to India, Washington’s India policy actually serves the purpose of containing China.”Highlighting the limitations of Washington’s powers, the daily said: “The U.S. is not the whole world. Its endorsement does not mean India has won the backing of the world. This basic fact, however, has been ignored by India”.
The editorial made two additional points. First it stressed that “nationalists” in India were yet to develop a mindset befitting the citizenry of a “major power.”“Some Indians are too self-centred and self-righteous. On the contrary, the Indian government behaves decently and is willing to communicate. Throwing a tantrum won’t be an option for New Delhi. India’s nationalists should learn how to behave themselves. Now that they wish their country could be a major power, they should know how major powers play their games,” it said.
Second, the write-up contrasted the response by a section of people in India to the popular reaction in China, to Beijing’s inability to become a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime. “On Monday, the Missile Technology Control Regime absorbed India as a new member, and denied China’s access. The news didn’t even make a ripple among the Chinese public. The Chinese have become more mature in dealing with these setbacks caused by international relations.”
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