India in NSG will hurt South Asia: Chinese daily

Beijing, June 14  India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) will worsen the security situation in South Asia, a Chinese daily said on Tuesday.

"China's concern about India's inclusion into the NSG comes out of the security dynamic in South Asia," the state-run Global Times said in a commentary. 

"India's application for NSG membership and its potential consequences will inevitably touch a raw nerve in Pakistan, its traditional rival in the region," it said. 

"As Pakistan is not willing to see an enlarging gap in nuclear power with India, a nuclear race is a likely outcome. This will not only paralyze regional security, but also jeopardize China's national interests." 

In the commentary titled "India must not let nuclear ambitions blind itself", the daily said that nuclear powered India and Pakistan keep alert to each other's nuclear capabilities.

"A peaceful regional and global environment is in the interests of all stakeholders. China's concern about India's inclusion into the NSG comes out of the security dynamic in South Asia. 

"Only when New Delhi and Islamabad take another step forward in their non-proliferation commitments can the region avoid being dragged into a nuclear confrontation," it said.

China has emerged as the major stumbling block to India's membership of the NSG. 

The plenary meeting of the NSG is expected to be held in Seoul on June 24.

The Global Times said the US and some NSG members had given a push to India's membership bid, "but the reported opposition from most countries, especially China, seems to have irritated India. 

"Beijing insists that a prerequisite of New Delhi's entry is that it must be a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, while India is not.

"Despite acknowledging this legal and systematic requirement, the Indian media called China's stance 'obstructionist'."

The daily said India had its own calculations for joining the NSG. And the US was backing New Delhi to sell it nuclear technology and to "enhance India's deterrence capability is to put China in check".

"What is missing in US and Indian motives are concerns for regional security. So far, South Asia is still facing the harsh reality that the region is mired in nuclear confrontation," said the commentary.