Over two years after the initiation of formal discussions with two Australian companies — BHP Billiton and Heathgate Resources — for commencing supply of uranium ore concentrate, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has turned down the offers submitted by the two companies citing lack of viability of the proposals. The offers were aimed at ensuring Australian companies potentially join utilities from four other countries that are already supplying nuclear fuel to India and were being projected as a tangible marker of improving bilateral and strategic relations between the two nations.
India-Australia ties have been on an upswing since 2012, when the Australian government decided to sell uranium to India despite India not being a signatory to the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, which was formalised by way of a bilateral agreement in 2014.
