The state-controlled Chinese media on Tuesday ran editorials calling India “a bit smug in its dealing with the international community, a result of New Delhis being spoiled by the West.”
Last week, China succeeded in obstructing India’s membership of the 48-nation NSG, which controls the trade and transfer of nuclear technology and ensures against the proliferation of nuclear arms.
Despite staunch lobbying by the US for India and a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the NSG meeting in Seoul ended without a decision on India’s application, filed in May.
The editorials were especially critical of the response of the Indian media on the whole issue saying “some Indians are too self-centered and self-righteous.” An editorial titled “Delhi’s NSG bid upset by rules, not Beijing”, in Global Times, said, “India is not a signatory to the NPT, but is the most active applicant to join the NSG. Before the Seoul meeting, the Indian media played up the prospects of its bid. Some even claim that among the 48 members of the NSG, 47 have given it a green light, except China.”
The editorial however said that the response of the Indian government has been decent. Global Times is part of the publications brought out by the Communist Party of China. Railing at the West, the editorial said, “Recent years have seen the Western world giving too many thumbs up to India, but thumbs down to China. India is spoiled. Although the South Asian country’s GDP accounts for only 20 per cent of that of China, it is still a golden boy in the eyes of the West.” Taking potshots at the New Delhi’s recent proximity with the United States, the editorial said, “US backing adds the biggest impetus to India’s ambition. By cosying up to India, Washington’s India policy actually serves the purpose of containing China.”
“The US is not the whole world. Its endorsement does not mean India has won the backing of the world. This basic fact, however, has been ignored by India,” it said.