Australia turns down uranium sale to India

PERTH, Australia, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Australia's new Labor government, reversing previous policy, said Tuesday it will not sell uranium to India, the Press Trust of India reported.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's government said as per its election commitment, India must first sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty before any sale can take place.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told special Indian envoy Shyam Saran at their meeting in Perth, the report said.

"We went into the election with a strong policy commitment we would not export uranium to nation states who are not members of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," Smith told reporters.

Prior to its election defeat, the previous government led by John Howard had planned to discuss a safeguards agreement for a uranium deal with India as part of the now troubled U.S.-India civil nuclear deal.