India and Australia sign civil nuclear agreement

India and Australia on Friday signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed an initiative that would support his government’s endeavour to fuel economic growth with clean energy.

“It will support India’s efforts to fuel its growth with clean energy and minimise the carbon footprint of its growth,” Modi said while addressing mediapersons with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

He said the signing of the civil nuclear cooperation agreement was “a historic milestone” in the bilateral relationship between India and Australia. The agreement paves the way for India to import uranium from Australia, apart from cooperation in production of radio isotopes, nuclear safety and other areas of cooperation in atomic energy.

Australia initially had reservation about striking a deal for cooperation in atomic energy sector with India, particularly because New Delhi did not sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The agreement in fact made India the first non-NPT country to be eligible for importing uranium from Australia, which has nearly 40 per cent of the world’s yellowcake reserves.

“It is a reflection of a new level of mutual trust and confidence in our relationship,” said

Abbott conveyed Australia’s appreciation for India’s “absolutely impeccable nuclear non-proliferation record”. “India has been a model global citizen. India threatens no one. India is the friend to many. India is the world’s emerging democratic superpower, and this is an important sign of the mutual trust that exists between Australia and India,” he said.

The agreement is the first deal of the Modi government with a foreign country for cooperation in atomic energy.

Soon after becoming prime minister, Modi made it clear that he would continue Manmohan Singh’s pursuit for an ambitious nuclear programme in collaboration with other countries. Though Modi was keen on the proposed India-Japan nuclear cooperation deal during his visit to Tokyo, the two countries could not agree on certain issues and the negotiation could not be concluded.