Must Hold Member Who Blocked India at NSG Accountable: US Diplomat

Tom Shannon, secretary of political affairs has said that US is going to work for India’s inclusion in the group.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Barack Obama. (Photo: AP)

A week after India failed to get entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) due to China-led opposition, Tom Shannon, US Under Secretary for Political Affairs, asserted that the US is committed to ensuring India’s entry into the NSG.

We understand that in a consensus-based organisation, one country can break consensus. But in order to do so it must be (held) accountable, not isolated.

At the same time, Shannon expressed “regret” that Washington was unsuccessful in making India a member of the bloc in its plenary in Seoul last week. Besides China, at least five other countries opposed India’s NSG bid in Seoul.

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I think what we need to do going forward is, for both of us India and the US, sit down and take a call what happened in the Seoul, take a close look at the diplomatic process which is significant and see what more we can do and how we can ensure that next time we are successful. 

Tom Shannon, US Under Secretary for Political Affairs

Calling India an “anchor of stability” in the Asia Pacific region, Shannon also said what China was doing in South China Sea is “madness” and it wants New Delhi to play a major role in the Indian Ocean.

Shannon also met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and mentioned that India’s recent entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) has highlighted that the country is a “responsible and important player in the road to non-proliferation.”

(With PTI inputs)