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New Delhi to persuade Australian PM for uranium sale to India | Energy starved India, which is pressing hard to ensure sufficient nuclear fuel supply for its drying nuclear reactors, is likely to persuade the visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to open up the uranium sale to India.
" India is more than willing to buy Uranium from Australia and it will be a part
of the agenda of the "broad-based" discussion with Kevin Rudd who will hold talks
with his Indian counterpart and host of other leaders during his three-day India
visit," said informed sources to ANI on Wednesday. Empathizing with the domestic
complications of the Rudd's Labour Party, which have strong reservations over
supplying uranium to non-NPT signatories, sources said: "We (India) are ready
when they (Australia) are ready to sell uranium." But "We don't press the point,"
source added. Australia is one of the largest uranium producers of the world and
its Olympic Dam mine (in south Australia) alone has the capacity to produce 35
per cent of the world's uranium. Its reserves could last for 100-150 years. India
derives consolation from the fact that Australia had supported India in getting
clean waiver at the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) and also at the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last year. However, in spite of exemptions and lifting
of sanctions on India for doing nuclear trade, Canberra is sticking to " No Uranium
Sale to India" on the ground that India is non-signatory to the Non Proliferation
Treaty (NPT). Australia is not only one of the largest reservoirs of uranium,
it also possesses huge reserves of clean coal and natural gas, which India is
eyeing on. Sources told ANI: "Our dependence on Australia for energy security
is not just cantered around uranium sale." Australia is the largest exporter of
coal and the quality of coal is better than India, as it has less hash content
which is good for environment. Off late Australia and India have signed first
long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply deal with India, with India's Petronet
LNG signing a 20-year agreement to take gas from the massive Gorgon project. According
to the agreement Exxon Mobil will supply about 1.5 million tonnes per annum of
its share of LNG from the proposed Gorgon LNG project over 20 years. Other than
energy security, both countries are also expected to increase cooperation in the
field of Maritime Security, issue of security of Indian students down under will
also be a part of the broad- based talks between India and Australia. Discussion
on possible Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries on which the
feasibility study is already going on by the Joint Study Group will also come
up during Australian Prime Minister's visit. |
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