Australia keen to supply uranium to India

NEW DELHI: The civil nuclear agreement between India and Australia has come to force in 2015 and the state of South Australia is keen to supply uranium to India.

Visiting South Australian Minister for Trade and Investment, Defence Services and Veterans' Affairs Martin Hamilton-Smith said on Monday "India and Australia have a great future in the field of nuclear energy."

Hamilton-Smith is currently leading a 100-member delegation of the South Australia Trade Commission (SATC) to India.

Of Australia's total uranium deposits, 81 per cent are in South Australia of which 40 per cent are extractable.

"Building nuclear power plants in India will also lead to a cleaner environment," Hamilton-Smith told media here last evening.

Though the India-Australia civil nuclear agreement was ratified last year, uranium supplies from Australia are yet to start.

There are eight areas of focus of the SATC delegation's mission to India: defence and advanced manufacturing; water and environment; education and vocational education training; health; premium food and wine, fashion; and sports, culture and tourism.

Stating that India was South Australia's third largest trading partner, Hamilton-Smith said trade in goods and services between the two sides stood at A$1-1.2 billion (A$1=$0.76) in 2015.

"We sell copper, lead, wheat, food and wine to India and buy diesel, petrol, jewellery and motor vehicles from India," he said.

South Australia is considered the national centre of naval shipbuilding and submarine sustainment, home to the Royal Australian Navy's largest and most complex over the past three decades and confirmed build location for Australia's next generation warships and submarines.

The SATC delegation, during the course of its visit, also held a meeting with Minister of State for Defence Subhash Ramrao Bhamre.