India, Australia set to sign nuclear deal
6 Sep JAPANTODAY
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is set to arrive in India on
Thursday to sign a long-awaited deal to sell uranium to his
energy-starved hosts and strengthen bilateral ties.Abbott is expected to
meet with new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior ministers
during a two-day visit aimed at boosting trade.
"We expect significant outcomes from the visit to further enhance our
partnership," said Sanjay Bhattacharya, Indian foreign ministry joint
secretary, on the eve of Abbott's arrival."For us, Australia is a major
supplier of resources, particularly energy necessary for our development
needs," Bhattacharya added.
India and Australia kickstarted negotiations on uranium sales in 2012
after Canberra lifted a long-standing ban on exporting the valuable ore
to Delhi to meet its ambitious nuclear energy program.
Australia, the world's third largest producer of uranium, had
previously ruled out selling the metal as nuclear-armed India has not
signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.Trade Minister Andrew Robb,
who is travelling with Abbott, said Canberra is now happy with India's
precautions to ensure Australian uranium exports would be used only for
peaceful purposes.
"We have satisfied ourselves that the steps (for appropriate
safeguards) are in place," Robb said this week.Abbott is expected to
sign the agreement in Delhi on Friday when he meets fellow conservative
Modi, who swept to power in May promising to open up Asia's ailing
third-largest economy to foreign investment.Abbott and his 30-strong
business delegation arrive in Mumbai early on Thursday when he will meet
with Indian CEOs and speak at the University of Mumbai.
Before heading to Delhi, the premier will also meet Indian cricketing
great Sachin Tendulkar and former Australian stars Adam Gilchrist and
Brett Lee, ahead of Australia's hosting of the World Cup next
year.Analyst and former Indian diplomat Neelam Deo said all eyes will be
on the nuclear deal, which will boost future exports and heralds closer
strategic ties.
"The deal has been in the works for years and was mostly negotiated
by the previous Labor government," Deo, director of Mumbai-based
think-tank Gateway House, told AFP.
"The signing of the deal removes one of the only challenges to closer
ties between the countries in the region."India, which is heavily
dependent on coal for generating power, has 20-odd small nuclear plants
with plans for more.
The deal with Australia would potentially ramp up those plans, as
India struggles to produce enough power to meet rising demand and
suffers crippling power shortages.Australia's decision to overturn its
ban on sales to India followed a landmark 2008 deal between Delhi and
Washington for the United States to support its civilian nuclear
program. Abbott is due to head on to Malaysia on Saturday for talks with
Prime Minister Najib Razak before returning home. |