India and South Africa on Friday held discussions on a range of issues during the bilateral meeting, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's commitment to comply with NSG guidelines and thanked Pretoria for supporting India's bid to secure membership in the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
The joint statement issued by both countries after bilateral meeting underscored the need for continuing consultations and the exchange of views between South Africa and India in order to build partnerships in multilateral fora and to ensure that the agenda of the South is prioritised.
"Prime Minister Modi thanked President Zuma for South Africa's support for India's membership of the NSG. Prime Minister Modi reiterated India's commitment to comply with NSG guidelines and continued commitment to non-proliferation and disarmament," the joint statement said.
The major roadblock for India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) comes from China, which maintains that being a nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signatory is a must for joining the NSG.
India and South Africa today inked three Memoranda of Understanding and one Programme of Cooperation to take their "partnership in progress" one more step forward.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Union Building of Pretoria, which was followed by one-on-one private conversation with President Jacob Zuma and delegation-level talks.
In the evening, he will visit the Nelson Mandela Foundation, participate in the India-South Africa Business Meet and address an Indian community programme.
Prime Minister Modi arrived here on Thursday evening on the second leg of his four-nation five-day tour to the African continent with an aim to enhance mutual cooperation and understanding on major issues of common interest.
