Monday, March 6 2006 13:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Australian Prime Minister John Howard today(Mar 6,2006) indicated that he would discuss India's need for uranium during talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who made a strong pitch for it.

"I think we would like to talk about it (uranium export to India)," Howard told reporters with Singh standing by his side after he was accorded a ceremonial welcome in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Both the leaders were asked whether the issue would come up during their discussions.

"We will talk about (it) against the background of policies and needs of the two countries," said Howard, who had earlier ruled out lifting the ban on Australian uranium export to India.

Singh said India would like to trade with Australia in all areas and "We are short of uranium and we would like Australia to sell uranium to India."

Earlier, Singh in an interview to 'The Australian' newspaper, said he would ask Howard to back the Indo-US nuclear deal and lift the ban on sale of uranium to New Delhi.

"I very much hope Australia, as a member of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group, would endorse what I and US President George W Bush have worked out.

"This is an arrangement which helps the cause of nuclear non-proliferation. India has an impeccable record of not entering into any unauthorised arms proliferation," he told the Australian daily.