India pleads with Australia to lift uranium export ban

India's External Affairs Minister SM Krishna says he is pleading with the Australian government to reconsider its ban on uranium sales to his country.

SM Krishna has told Australia's foreign minister Kevin Rudd that the growth of India's nuclear power industry is crucial to combating climate change.

"I would only plead, and I have pleaded with Mr Rudd," he said.

"I want Australia to go in for a larger public debate on this question."

Australia has a ban on selling uranium to India because it has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Mr Rudd says the Federal Government will not relax its rules for exporting uranium to India.

The ABC understands Mr Rudd has promised to raise the issue at several forums.

Mr Rudd also says the issue has not damaged ties between the countries.

"There is a huge amount underway in the Australia-India relationship at the political, security and economic levels," he said.

"There's sufficient ballast in this relationship to deal with areas of periodic disagreement as there are in all relationships."

Mr Krishna also raised the issue with Resources Minister Martin Ferguson during talks yesterday.

In an interview with the ABC, Mr Krishna also said India would consider assisting Burma, if it tried to start its own nuclear energy industry.

"When they approach us, we will certainly consider it," he said.

He also said NATO-led forces in Afghanistan should think twice about engaging Pakistan as an ally in the battle against the Taliban.

"In my opinion...Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism in the region," he said.

The Indian foreign minister will also use his visit to raise the issue of international student welfare.

He says, since his last visit in 2009, enough action has been taken to solve the problem.

"The number of steps that were initiated have led to a situation where Indian students feel quite secure, they feel quite confident and they feel that they could pursue their studies without any anxiety," he said.

Relations between the two countries are set to deepen with India now Australia's third largest export market.