In an attempt to defend China's opposition to India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a state-run media outlet said that the West has "spoiled" India, describing it as "a bit smug" in the way that it handled international affairs.

State-run daily Global Times said that Delhi's bid to become a member of the elite 48-nation group was because of rules and cannot be attributable to China's opposition.

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China and 10 other countries opposed India's entry into the elite group because it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is a prerequisite for induction into the NSG.

Despite backing from the United States and preliminary discussions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the NSG meeting in Seoul ended without a decision on India's NSG membership application, which it submitted in May.

India has since held China responsible for its failed bid, saying that Beijing persistently created procedural hurdles and posed as a stumbling block to its entry into the elite group.

"It is morally legitimate for China and other members to upset India's proposal in defence of principles," said the Global Times, which is part of the ruling Communist Party of China's publications.

"Recent years have seen the Western world giving too many thumbs up to India, but thumbs down to China. India is spoiled," the publication added. "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."

"The international adulation of India makes the country a bit smug in international affairs," the editorial said.

Meanwhile, there are protests in India calling for the boycott of Chinese products in the country. 

TagsIndia, china, NSG, NSG membership, India NSG membership, Nuclear Suppliers Group, China opposition