PM makes strong pitch for India's entry into nuclear clubs

India today made a strong pitch for membership of four exclusive nuclear groups, relying on its non-proliferation record and contending that this would help it to strengthen its export control systems and maintain highest international standards for its nuclear programme.

India is seeking entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group.

 "India has never been a source of proliferation of sensitive technologies and we are determined to further strengthen our export control systems to keep them on par with the highest international standards," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in his address the second Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, attended by the leaders of over 50 nations including the major nuclear powers.

He underlined that India had already adhered to the guidelines of the NSG and the MTCR.

"As a like-minded country with the ability and willingness to promote global non-proliferation objectives, we believe that the next logical step is India's membership of the four export control regimes," Singh said.

At the same time, Singh said an agreed multilateral framework involving all states possessing nuclear weapons was necessary to attain the goal of a nuclear weapons-free world.