Australia is likely all set to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with India. It is expected to offer sale of uranium to India during Prime Minister Julia Gillard's three-day visit to the country starting tomorrow evening. External affairs ministry in New Delhi confirmed that Gillard's visit will see a formal announcement of negotiations between the two countries for a nuclear safeguards agreement that would allow Australia to export uranium to India. Despite supporting the move by Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in 2008 to allow India to conduct nuclear commerce, Australia continued to deny uranium to India for not having signed NP. Now, it is all set to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with India, with the core of this cooperation being the safeguards agreement that will allow Australia to bypass opposition from various groups, which are opposing the Labor government's decision to overturn the ban on uranium sale to India.
The uranium agreement with Australia, apart from ensuring a steady supply of the yellowcake, will also have great symbolic significance for India as it will mark yet another international `acceptance' of its nuclear weapons. MEA official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin negotiations should start once their internal processes are complete. He added, Bilateral relations between India and Australia were elevated to the level of a strategic partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to India in November 2009. The visit of Prime Minister Ms. Gillard will lead to strengthening of the cooperative relations between the two countries, and will provide further impetus for the future development of the strategic partnership
Australians are likely to insist on regular reports from Indian authorities about how uranium is used and the state in which it is stored. Gillard, however, was instrumental in Labor's decision to reverse the ban. The agreement is likely to include the same provisions as NPT meant to prevent proliferation, which India has always agreed in principle despite not having signed the treaty because it allows only five countries to possess nuclear weapons.The final agreement is likely to take some time though as the negotiations are expected to be lengthy. While this will be her second official visit to India, it will be the first as the PM.During her visit, Prime Minster Ms. Gillard will hold delegation level talks with the Prime Minister and call on the President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday. On the same day she will also receive the External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and the Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj, and meet with Chairman of UPA Sonia Gandhi.
