New Delhi: India signed the nuclear deal with the US on Thursday, but it is not just the Indo-US ties which are being affected by the landmark deal.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says he will convince Australian Prime Minister John Howard to sell Uranium to India for its civilian nuclear needs.
Howard, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a four-day trip, said Australia would not suddenly change its policy of blocking sales to countries that fail to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Howard has ruled out an immediate change in Australian policy, but says he could consider a policy change in the future and would be happy to discuss the issue with the Singh during talks on Monday.
Australia, which holds 40 per cent of the world's uranium reserves, sells the fuel to China. However, it says that India should to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty before Australia decides on selling it here.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer struck a hardline stance: "Our policy in terms of Uranium exports since the 1970's has been that we will only export to countries which are signatories to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT)."
"Israel, Pakistan and India are the only countries that haven't signed that treaty. And we've not been asked to change our policy by the Americans. Nobody has lent on us to change our policy," he added.
Howard says that India and Australia are to sign MoU on defence, trade and economic frameork agreement, and air services agreement during his visit.
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