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Russia believes India may join Nuclear Suppliers Group

The Nuclear Suppliers Group was formed of countries - signatories to the nuclear weapons non-proliferation treaty while India does not belong to that group
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin  Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin
© Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

TASHKENT, June 24. /TASS/. Russia believes that India has an impeccable record regarding the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons for being admitted to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the media after India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for support on the issue.

Lavrov recalled that the Nuclear Suppliers Group had been formed of countries - signatories to the nuclear weapons non-proliferation treaty. India does not belong to that group.

"But bearing in mind that India has an impeccable record of a country that has never been a source of proliferation of nuclear technologies we might support it," Lavrov said.

Some countries within this group, not only China, say that this issue requires further consideration. These states wish not to block India’s admission but to develop a procedure for incorporating in this group other countries that are not NPT signatories. Lavrov explained that he was referring to Pakistan as well, because the question was a systemic one.

Lavrov avoided forecasting dates when India and Pakistan might join the nuclear providers group, saying that this would happen as soon as consensus was achieved.