Australia is willing to sell uranium to India if Indian government promises that the mineral will not be used to make weapons, Australia's High Commissioner to India Patrick Suckling said.

Mr. Suckling said that the two governments were already pursuing negotiations in that regard, and that Australia would sell uranium to India only if the Asian country agreed to a safeguard agreement stating that the mineral could be used only for peaceful purposes.

Speaking on the topic, Mr. Suckling said, "We are willing to sell uranium provided India assures us that the mineral will be used for peaceful purposes. Negotiations are on."

Previously, Australia had refused to sell uranium to India because India wasn't a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

India has strong bilateral trade relations with Australia. Last year, the two countries traded items worth Aus$18 billion (around Rs 100,800cr). Imports from Australia stood at Aus$15 billion, while exports stood at Aus$3 billion.

Imports of coal, copper and gold from Australia to India account for around 75 per cent of the entire export trade between the two countries. Coal import alone currently stands at around Aus$5 billion. According to Suckling, India's coal import from Australia could jump further over the coming years given a drastic rise in demand from the power sector.