China's state-run media agency Xinhua on Friday said there is still a possibility that India will become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, hours before the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, was scheduled to reach New Delhi for a three-day visit. This is the first time the foreign minister is visiting India in two years, PTI reported.

A comment piece by the news agency said, “New Delhi should not be downhearted as the door to the NSG is not tightly closed.” It reiterated that India had "wrongly blamed" China for its failed attempt to enter the 48-nation group, which monitors and controls the export of materials or technology that can be used to create nuclear weapons. However, the piece did not mention if the Chinese foreign minister will offer India any proposals related to the NSG.

On the South China Sea issue, the news agency said India should understand China’s national concerns, and that it hoped that India will "play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.”

On June 23, at least five countries had blocked India's NSG membership bid in Seoul during a plenary meeting of the group. Ireland, Turkey, Brazil, Austria and New Zealand – and later Switzerland – had joined China in opposing India's attempts to be part of the body, saying it was ineligible because it was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.