India has scuttled China’s bid to pass an anti-AUKUS resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency meet in Vienna. The AUKUS pact was signed between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States last year under which Canberra gets nuclear-powered submarines.
China has been miffed with the development and has been terming it a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It even criticised the role of the IAEA for its stance on the issue.
Sources close to the matter said, “India’s deft and impactful diplomacy was deeply appreciated by IAEA member states, particularly the AUKUS partners.”
The Indian Mission to the IAEA in Vienna worked closely with other IAEA member countries on the matter.
The issue was taken up at the General Conference of IAEA that took place from September 26-30. After failing to get majority support, Beijing withdrew the resolution on Friday (September 30).
Earlier this month, the UN nuclear watchdog had expressed its satisfaction with the pact, according to reports. Sources said that India took “an objective view.. recognising the soundness of the technical evaluation by IAEA”, explaining, “India’s considered role helped many smaller countries take a clear stand on the Chinese proposal”.
India is one of the board members of the IAEA. The board has 35 members — Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US, and Vietnam.
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