KEVIN Rudd has made clear he will not buckle on Australia's refusal to sell uranium to India just hours ahead of a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.

The Prime Minister told reporters in the Indian capital this morning that India's refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty meant Australian would not sell it uranium, even though it had helped the Indian Government obtain materials to support its nuclear program through the Nuclear Suppliers Group - an international grouping of nations supplying nuclear technology and resources which seeks to contribute to non-proliferation.



India has long sought access to Australian uranium ore to meet the energy needs of its rapidly growing economy, with Mr Rudd's Government changing previous Labor policy to allow for an expansion of Australian uranium exports and the construction of new mines.



However, Australia maintains a blanket ban in selling uranium to nations which refuse to sign the NPT Treaty.



This morning Mr Rudd said the United States, Australian and other nations had worked together in recent years through the international Nuclear Suppliers Group to ensure India could access "the supply of inputs to its own nuclear program".



"We also worked in close concert with other nations from around the world, some of whom had profound reservations about that action," Mr Rudd said.



"On the question of bilateral uranium sales, can I say that our policy remains governed by the provisions of the non-proliferation treaty that has been the case in the past.



"The non-proliferation treaty and our policy in relation to it as underpinning our attitude to uranium sales is not targeted at any individual country. It has been longstanding Australian Government policy."



Mr Rudd, who arrived in India last night after an unannounced visit to Australian troops in Afghanistan, will meet Mr Singh shortly before midnight tonight in his first trip to the nation as Prime Minister.



A key focus of the trip is easing Indian concern about a recent spate of attacks on Indian students studying in Australia which threatens the future of Australia's lucrative education export industry.



The issue, fanned by zealous Indian tabloid television coverage, led to the burning of effigies of Mr Rudd in India earlier this year.



Also yesterday, Mr Rudd said increasing activities by Taliban insurgents in the south of Afghanistan was making the job of Australian troops in the region increasingly difficult.



But he vowed to stay the course, saying Australia would not leave its friends "in the lurch".

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