The State Department says there is no change in US policy on the issue.
Clearing the uncertainty over the policy of the Trump administration on India’s bid to become a member of the Nuclear Supplies Group, the United States made it clear that it is working closely with NSG members for facilitating New Delhi’s entry into the elite group.
A State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday that there is no change in US policy on the issue.
“The United States supports India’s full membership in the four multilateral export control regimes, and we believe that India is ready for NSG membership,” the spokesperson said.
Until now, there has not been a clarity on the position of the Trump administration on India’s bid to become a member of NSG, which currently consist of 48 members.
The previous Obama and Bush administrations have been supportive of India’s effort and both countries have been working closely on this front since the Bush administration. The only issue that stood in front of India from being awarded the group’s membership is the vehement opposition from China.
“We have worked and continue to work closely with our Indian counterparts and the NSG Participating Governments to help advance India’s case for membership,” the State Department official said.
With the Trump administration’s backing now, New Delhi will be relieved. As of now, there is no word from the US whether India’s entry into the NSG is an issue on the agenda during the visit of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to China this week.
During the time of the Bush administration, President Bush himself had conducted talks with Chinese leaders but it is not sure whether Trump will make such an appeal.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has scheduled his US visit in April and it is not clear whether India’s concerns will become part of the talks between Trump and Jinping when they meet in Florida.
In January, the then-South and Central Asia point person of the Obama administration, Nisha Desai Biswal, had described China as an “outlier” on the NSG issue.