India, Australia talk uranium shipment

NEW DELHI As India prepares to welcome Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull next week, negotiators from both sides are hammering out details for the first shipment of Australian uranium under the bilateral civil nuclear agreement.

A Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), negotiations for which were launched nearly six years ago, will not be signed during Turnbull’s visit, with officials saying that both sides continue to have concerns that are yet to be addressed.

The focus of Turnbull’s visit during April 9-12 will be driving high-level exchanges and contacts, security and defence relations and boosting cooperation in education and skill development, sources said. With Australia’s Civil Nuclear Transfers to India Act becoming effective in December last year, both sides are engaged in commercial negotiations for the sale of uranium to India. “We are hopeful there will be a commercial shipment this year,” a source said.

“Now it is only a question of commercial deals being done and negotiations are ongoing,” Jaideep Mazumdar, joint secretary (south) in the external affairs ministry, told a news briefing. “There are no procedural constraints, it is only a question of commercial negotiations being concluded on issues such as price, quantity, purity.”

Australia will also continue its support for India’s bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and there has been considerable discussion on how to handle New Delhi’s application at the next plenary of the elite group that controls trade in nuclear technology and know-how, sources said.

Australian high commissioner Harinder Sindu said: “CECA will not be signed during the visit. The negotiations are underway and continuing.”