Sweden on Tuesday backed India’s bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as it welcomed New Delhi’s recent accession to the international export control regimes, including Wassenaar Arrangement and Missile Technology Control Regime. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven expressed his country’s support to India during his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here. India’s membership to the 48-member elite nuclear club is being primarily opposed by China on the pretext that it is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Out of the four export control regimes that work to keep proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in check, India is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group.
“Prime Minister Lofven welcomed India’s recent accession to the international export control regimes, including to Australia Group (AG), Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC), and expressed support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG),” according to Sweden-India Joint Action Plan. Sweden also extended support to India’s permanent membership of a reformed and expanded United Nations Security Council. Prime Minister Modi thanked his Swedish counterpart for Sweden’s support to India.
