We are now talking to China eye-to-eye, raising issues of Indian interests boldly: PM Narendra Modi

Representational image

New Delhi: Days after India blamed 'one country' (China) for blocking its entry into  the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Prime Minister Narendra Modi exuded confidence that the country will get membership of the nuke club.

He also said that the process for it had begun on a 'positive note'.

The PM acknowledged that India had a number of problems with China and efforts were on to resolve them one-by-one through talks.

"It is true that in our tenure, SCO has been achieved, MTCR membership has been achieved. I am fully confident that we have begun efforts in the direction of the NSG (membership), formally. The process has begun on a positive note. Everything is governed by its own rules. Things will move forward as per rules," he told Times Now channel.

"We have an ongoing dialogue with China and it should continue. In foreign policy, it is not necessary to have similar views to have a dialogue. Even when there are contradictions, talks are the only way forward and problem should be resolved through dialogue," he further said.

At the same time, PM Modi pointed out, "But there are some issues in which we differ from them and they differ from us. But the most important thing is that we are now talking to China eye-to-eye and raising the issues of Indian interests boldly."

Today China said that 'many countries' had expressed their views on the accession of non-NPT countries into the nuclear trading club as it harped on the need for forging consensus over the issue.

"As we have learnt, the plenary meeting issued a news release that the meeting held discussions on technical legal and political issues regarding the accession of non-NPT members and agreed to continue with such discussions," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing, as per PTI.

Hong added that at the plenary meeting in Seoul "many countries had expressed their views on the accession of non-NPT countries into the group."

"We believe that they should forge a consensus and then make a decision based on consultations and thorough discussions regarding the entry of the specific country," he said, without directly referring to India.

India and Pakistan, who applied for membership of the 48-member NSG, have not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which China insists is a must for joining the grouping.

China was unrelenting in thwarting India's NSG bid last week despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Tashkent on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit to support India's case on its merits.

An upset India later accused 'one country', a clear reference to China, of persistently creating procedural hurdles during the discussions on its application.

(With PTI inputs)