Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a dig at PM Modi over uranium supply from Australia. He said that this was possible only because of the civil nuclear agreement signed with America during the UPA government, which the BJP had opposed both inside and outside the Parliament.
New Delhi [भारत]July 9 (ANI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said the announcement of implementation of the agreement for supply of uranium from Australia to India has been possible due to the civil nuclear deal signed with the US during the Congress-led UPA government. He said that BJP had opposed this deal.
Congress took credit, targeted BJP
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jairam Ramesh said he proudly said that Australia would supply uranium to India but it was the Congress-led government which created a turning point. He said, “Award-GV proudly announces that Australia is going to supply uranium to India. This has been possible only because of the United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement which finally became law on October 8, 2008. It was Dr. Manmohan Singh’s meeting with President George Bush in July 2005 that initiated the talks.”
He further said, “BJP had always opposed this transformational agreement both in Parliament and outside. Congress makes turning points while BJP is an expert in U-turning points.”
Framework for implementing the agreement prepared
India and Australia on Thursday finalized the administrative arrangements for the civil nuclear deal, which operationalizes the agreement signed in 2014 and enables uranium supplies to India. Responding to questions during a special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said there was a need for an administrative mechanism in the civil nuclear deal, but it had not been possible to implement it as issues related to reporting were not fully agreed upon.
He said, “India and Australia had signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement in 2014 itself. That agreement envisages cooperation in a wide range of activities, not just uranium supply. When it comes to uranium supply, there was a need for an administrative arrangement, which was also finalized but it was not possible to implement it as the issues related to reporting were not fully agreed upon.”
He further said, “Given the fact that there was no agreement on that issue bilaterally between India and Australia, there was a need to bring this arrangement into line with an arrangement that would satisfy both parties and provide confidence that reporting procedures and protocols are in place.”
Misri noted that after “very intensive discussions” over the past two years, the two countries were able to resolve outstanding issues and finalize the necessary framework.
He said, “This is a G-to-G agreement that has created a framework that ensures that issues related to accounting etc. are now fully taken care of. When it comes to actual supply, these are matters that will have to be taken up between the private entities on the Australian side, because it is the private Australian companies that are involved in the uranium trade and their counterparts on the Indian side, those entities that are typically involved in importing uranium from other sources.”
“These two entities will now come into contact and start entering into commercial contracts for the supply of uranium,” Misri said.
Australia supports India’s NSG membership
The joint statement issued after the meeting between PM Modi and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, said the two Prime Ministers welcomed the finalization and signing of administrative arrangements that will enable long-term Australian uranium exports to India exclusively for peaceful purposes and under IAEA safeguards. Australia reiterated its strong support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
In his remarks during press statements with Albanese, PM Modi said the two countries have reached an important agreement regarding nuclear energy that will pave the way for the supply of uranium to India from Australia. He said that this will give new strength to India’s clean energy goals. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)