Australia may relax ban on uranium sales to India

29 March 2007

Howard said that while Australia had not changed its policy on uranium sales to India, he would not rule out a change in future if there were adequate safeguards on use of the uranium.

Speaking ahead of a meeting with former foreign secretary Shyam Saran in Canberra, the Australian premier said, "There is no pressing urgency in relation to this issue, but we see India as a very responsible country."

Saran has been tasked by prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh to win backing for India's nuclear programme from the nuclear suppliers group ahead of its meeting in South Africa next month. Saran also wants Canberra to drop its ban on uranium sales to India.

Australia, a member of the suppliers group, has about 40-per cent of global uranium reserves and exports uranium to 36 countries that have signed the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), after signing a separate nuclear safeguards agreement over the use of the uranium.

In January China and Australia ratified a nuclear agreement clearing the way for uranium exports to meet China's power needs.

Howard said the relationship between Australia and India was "a very important relationship and there will be considerations that we will bear in mind. We would never agree to supply uranium to a country unless we were completely satisfied that appropriate and enforceable and effective safeguards existed."