Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of Members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the year in which each country became its Member;
(b) the countries that have become Members of NSG without becoming Members of the NPT;
(c) whether the rejection of India’s application for membership in NSG will have any impact on India’s nuclear programme; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) The list of current Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Participating Governments with the year of their participation in the NSG is presented at Annexure.
(b) The following countries became members of NSG without first being members of the NPT: Argentina, Brazil and France.
(c) & (d) India has a well-developed and diversified indigenous nuclear power programme. In addition, pursuant to the September 2008 NSG policy decision, India is pursuing civil nuclear cooperation with key partners such as Canada, France, Kazakhstan, Russia and the US. Progress continues to be made under these agreements. Membership of the NSG would place our existing cooperation on a predictable basis and facilitate the enhanced investments, industrial tie ups and technology access required to accelerate augmentation of nuclear power capacity in India. Further, it is understood that consultations on the issue of India’s membership are ongoing within the NSG.