Determining to continue at regular intervals ahead, 6th India-China talk on Non-Proliferation drew close

New Delhi, June 3: Within the framework of regular bilateral exchanges between India and China, the 6th round of India-China Bilateral Dialogue on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation was held in New Delhi at Ministry of External Affairs on Monday where the Indian delegation was led by Indra Mani Pandey and the Chinese delegation by Ambassador Fu Cong.

 

 

Deciding to continue the dialogue at regular intervals in future, the duo exchanged views on a variety of issues of mutual interest related to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. Ambassador Fu Cong invited the Indian delegation to Beijing for the next round of consultations at a mutually convenient time, which was accepted with pleasure, by the Indian side.

 

Both India and China are rapidly increasing their energy and particularly electricity use. They have well-considered policies to increase dramatically their use of nuclear power to make that electricity. Both see nuclear power as an important ingredient of sustainable development.

 

However, for nearly four decades they have had very different status internationally regarding nuclear non-proliferation, with China enjoying the benefits of being party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and India excluded from those benefits, despite its scrupulous conformity to its principles.

 

India's nuclear weapons program is described by its government as a necessary minimum deterrent in the face of regional nuclear threats that include a considerably larger Chinese nuclear arsenal as well as Pakistan's nuclear arms.

 

While India and China are alike in having large aspirations to produce clean energy in the 21st century using nuclear power, the two countries occupy quite different positions in relation to the NPT.