NEW DELHI: India has finally warned Russia over the increasing closeness and strategic partnership with China, who is stopping India’s entry into the much desired Nuclear Supplier Group.
India has warned Russia that it will stall cooperation with its foreign partners for development of its civil nuclear programme if it is unable to become a full member of the Nuclear Supplier Group in the near future.To make its point, it is threatening to put in cold storage an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Russia for developing KudanKalam 5 and 6 reactor units.
With Russia working increasingly in tandem with China on global issues, India has often looked at Moscow to persuade Beijing to let go of its opposition to India’s membership.Russia is now worried that India might be delaying the MoU to get Moscow to work more proactively for its NSG membership.
Taken aback by this Indian reluctance to seal the MoU, Russia’s deputy PM Rogozin took up the issue with PM Narendra Modi in their meeting last week, a top official source confirmed to Times of India. Rogozin, however, left without any assurance from India on signing the MoU.
The meeting was held to prepare the groundwork for Modi’s summit with President Vladimir Put in early next month. Moscow is worried that without the MoU, there will be no real takeaway.