NEW DELHI: As Canberra continues to hold out on supplying uranium to New Delhi, India is actively engaging the African sub-continent to fuel its
civilian nuclear programme.
Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba’s visit to India, which started on Sunday, is linked to India sourcing uranium from the African nation, which is the sixth largest producer of uranium in the world. Sources said that discussions on uranium mining and supplies have been ongoing with Namibia for some time now.
Ahead of Mr Pohamba’s visit, the Cabinet approved signing of an MoU on mining, which covers not just uranium but also other minerals like copper and diamonds. The MoU, which is likely to be signed after discussions between Mr Pohamba and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, will give India the opportunity to tap Namibia’s rich mining sector. This includes the chance to get exclusive prospecting rights and the possibility of joint ventures in the sector.
With countries like Australia still holding out against supplying uranium to India due to their non proliferation ideology, India is turning to other uranium rich countries to ensure supplies for the civilian nuclear programme that will grow in the coming years. Apart from Namibia, India is also in talks with Kazakhsthan and Canada and already has a pact with Niger.
The Manmohan Singh government by giving the Namibian president the first state visit of the second term of UPA is also sending out a strong message that Africa is important for India. The Namibian president’s visit to India is a part of New Delhi’s “new outreach to Africa.” If India is looking for uranium, the interest on the Namibian side is on defence co-operation.
It is understood that the two countries are also likely to sign a defence co-operation agreement, which will institutionalise and formalise defence co-operation between the two countries. India and Namibia have a long tradition of defence co-operation with the Indian Air Force teams stationed in Namibia since the mid-90s. India has also been training the Namibian Air Force and has supplied helicopters to Namibia. This April, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited had got a $10-million order for supplying two Chetak and one Cheetah helicopters to the Namibian armed forces.
When contacted Namibia’s high commissioner to India Marten N Kapewasha said that he would not like to pre-empt the bilateral talks on Monday but did says that defence deals would be discussed apart from education and health and uranium.
The Namibian president will be accompanied by a 43 member delegation, which includes five ministers, senior officials and a business delegation.
 MoS for external affairs Shashi Tharoor welcomes Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba in New Delhi |
Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba’s visit to India, which started on Sunday, is linked to India sourcing uranium from the African nation, which is the sixth largest producer of uranium in the world. Sources said that discussions on uranium mining and supplies have been ongoing with Namibia for some time now.
Ahead of Mr Pohamba’s visit, the Cabinet approved signing of an MoU on mining, which covers not just uranium but also other minerals like copper and diamonds. The MoU, which is likely to be signed after discussions between Mr Pohamba and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, will give India the opportunity to tap Namibia’s rich mining sector. This includes the chance to get exclusive prospecting rights and the possibility of joint ventures in the sector.
With countries like Australia still holding out against supplying uranium to India due to their non proliferation ideology, India is turning to other uranium rich countries to ensure supplies for the civilian nuclear programme that will grow in the coming years. Apart from Namibia, India is also in talks with Kazakhsthan and Canada and already has a pact with Niger.
The Manmohan Singh government by giving the Namibian president the first state visit of the second term of UPA is also sending out a strong message that Africa is important for India. The Namibian president’s visit to India is a part of New Delhi’s “new outreach to Africa.” If India is looking for uranium, the interest on the Namibian side is on defence co-operation.
It is understood that the two countries are also likely to sign a defence co-operation agreement, which will institutionalise and formalise defence co-operation between the two countries. India and Namibia have a long tradition of defence co-operation with the Indian Air Force teams stationed in Namibia since the mid-90s. India has also been training the Namibian Air Force and has supplied helicopters to Namibia. This April, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited had got a $10-million order for supplying two Chetak and one Cheetah helicopters to the Namibian armed forces.
When contacted Namibia’s high commissioner to India Marten N Kapewasha said that he would not like to pre-empt the bilateral talks on Monday but did says that defence deals would be discussed apart from education and health and uranium.
The Namibian president will be accompanied by a 43 member delegation, which includes five ministers, senior officials and a business delegation.
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