Australia said on 1 June that it had finalised its nuclear agreement with India, and supplies of uranium would begin shortly. Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu said concluding contracts could take some time but "active engagement" was underway. "I am hopeful that we will see contracts concluded and supply start in a relatively short span of time," she told a seminar on trade liberalisation in New Delhi. India and Australia began talks on a Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement in 2012 after Australia lifted a long-standing ban on selling uranium to India.
Australia has about 40% of the world's uranium reserves and exports nearly 7,000t of yellow cake a year. India will be the first country to buy Australian uranium without being a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Asked about Australia's position on India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), she said that the government is "very very supportive" and very much wants to see India "enter, engage and to make the contribution in the group". As well as the NSG, India is seeking membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group.
