India’s entry into NSG will threaten peace of Asia-Pacific region, says Pak’s ally China

If India manages to enter the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group, it will become a "legitimate" nuclear power and "shake" the strategic balance in South Asia, while leaving behind its arch-rival Pakistan and China's all-weather ally Pakistan. The above was printed by the state-run ‘Global Times’ of China, which is maintaining its stand against India's NSG entry.

India's entry into the NSG will "shake strategic balance in South Asia and even cast a cloud over peace and stability in the entire Asia-Pacific region", said the article. However, it added that China could support India's inclusion in case it agrees to abide to the rules.

"The major goal for India's NSG ambition is to obtain an edge over Islamabad in nuclear capabilities. Once New Delhi gets the membership first, the nuclear balance between India and Pakistan will be broken," the article, mentioned by Fu Xiaoqiang said; Xiaoqiang is a research fellow with China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, China’s think tank.

"Becoming a member of the NSG, a bloc that governs civilian nuclear trade worldwide, will grant India global acceptance as a legitimate nuclear power," said the article.

At the same time, the article said, "New Delhi seems to have inched closer to NSG membership after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gained backing from the US, Swiss and Mexico in its bid to join the elite nuclear club earlier this month."

"However, as a country that has signed neither the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) nor the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), India is not yqualified for accession into the NSG," it said.

"That's why the bloc is still divided over the case, and countries including New Zealand, Ireland, Turkey, South Africa and Austria have expressed their firm objections to India's membership," it added.

The Chinese daily is a part of the ruling Communist Party of China group of publications headed by People's Daily.

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