The Congress on Friday rejected the BJP's claims, stating that Australia's decision to allow uranium sales to India was initiated in 2011 after then Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard secured approval from her party following the India-US Nuclear Agreement of 2008.
The reaction came after BJP Information Technology Department head Amit Malviya claimed that Australia had refused to sell uranium to India in 2010 due to India's non-signatory status to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He said that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India and Australia had now reached a uranium export agreement, describing it as a reflection of India's improved global position.
Responding to the claim, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the BJP ecosystem was attempting to portray Australia's uranium sales to India as a major achievement of the Modi government.
"The BJP ecosystem is on an overdrive to show that Australia's uranium sales to India are a Modi breakthrough. On December 4, 2011, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard got approval of her party to sell uranium to India following the India-US Nuclear Agreement of October 2008," Ramesh said.
He added that BJP leaders and supporters needed to study the historical developments more carefully and shared a screenshot of media reports from December 2011 stating that Australia's Labour Party had approved plans to open uranium sales to India.
Earlier, Malviya had said, "In 2010, Australia refused to sell uranium to India, citing our non-signatory status to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Today, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India and Australia have struck a uranium export agreement."
"This is not just about uranium. It reflects India's transformed global standing. From being viewed through the prism of restrictions to being treated as a trusted strategic partner," Malviya said in a post on X.
The political exchange followed Ramesh's earlier remarks on Thursday, when he said the Congress creates turning points while the BJP specialises in "U-turning points". His statement came after India and Australia finalised a civil nuclear energy agreement.
Ramesh said the India-Australia agreement was made possible because of the India-US Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, which became law on October 8, 2008, and alleged that the BJP had opposed the agreement at the time.
On Thursday, India and Australia signed a series of significant agreements covering civil nuclear energy, maritime security and critical minerals, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted the importance of their partnership in promoting a peaceful Indo-Pacific region.
Following the Modi-Albanese meeting, both countries announced an India-Australia joint declaration on defence and security, a joint statement on energy cooperation, and a roadmap for collaboration in cyber security, critical technologies and supply chains.
The civil nuclear energy agreement will enable the commercial supply of uranium from Australia to India, supporting New Delhi's nuclear power projects. The development has now become the centre of a political debate over the credit and history behind the bilateral cooperation.
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