The Hindu : Front Page : Howard set to sign defence pact

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 06, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Howard set to sign defence pact

Diplomatic Correspondent

Tells the media before departure that there will be no nuclear deal with India

NEW DELHI: India and Australia will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation during the four-day visit of Prime Minister John Howard. He arrived on Sunday evening.

Besides defence, there will be agreements on Customs cooperation, trade and economic framework, biotechnology and a letter of intent on the India-Australia Strategic Research Fund.

Mr. Howard, who will also visit Mumbai and Chennai, is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and call on President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Monday. He is scheduled to meet United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Commerce Minister Kamal Nath, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani will call on the dignitary. Mr. Howard and his delegation will attend a business meeting.

"Influential player"

In a statement before his departure, Mr. Howard said: "India is an increasingly influential player whose interests converge with Australia's. We work constructively on key international issues ... "

Talking to reporters in Sydney, Mr. Howard ruled out a nuclear deal with India during the trip.

``We are certainly not going to suddenly change our policy just because Indians and the Americans have reached an agreement.''

In an interview published in The Hindu on March 2, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, when asked whether Canberra would export uranium to India for nuclear power reactors, said uranium exports were not possible till New Delhi signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

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