Australia supported India's claim for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council on Thursday. It maintains the decision of its ruling party on supplying Uranium to New Delhi has removed any potential irritant in their growing bilateral relationship.

Australian Defence minister Stephen Smith on a three-day visit to India, said that the two countries have also agreed to look into prospects of enhancing practical military cooperation by holding bilateral naval exercises in future. On discussions with his Indian counterpart A K Antony he said that defence minister to Australia next year.

Smith met Home Minister P Chidambaram and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon. He is scheduled to go to Mumbai on Friday where he will visit the Western Naval Command.