India takes up Azhar, NSG issues with China

Foreign Secretary of India S Jaishankar, who is in Beijing,  said China was open to India’s application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), but had a difference in view of the “procedures and processes” regarding the application.

The Foreign Secretary, on the question of China blocking the designation of Jaish chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist at the UN, pointed out that India explained to China the “rationale” for that application as also the fact that there was “broad international support” for this.

The India-China relationship over the past one year has been dominated by NSG and Azhar issues. China has stuck to its position and indications are that it remains firm on both issues even now.

On the NSG issue, the FS referred to the broad consensus India enjoyed in the elite 48-member club with only a handful members, led by China, opposing India’s bid. “The Chinese side underlined that they are open to India’s application for membership. They have their view of procedures and processes. These were different from where we and most of the group is at present,” he said.

On China blocking attempts to get Azhar designated as a terrorist, Jaishankar said, “In case of Azhar, Jaish itself is proscribed under UNSCR 1,267. So the proof is in (the) 1267 committee action. In this case, what he has done, extent of his actions are well-documented.”