The Australian Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, and his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee have announced a new Australia-India Roundtable after a meeting in Canberra. But the Indian foreign minister is going home without shifting Australia's refusal to supply New Delhi with uranium.

Presenter: Nasya Bahfen
Speakers: Stephen Smith, Australian foreign minister; Pranab Mukherjee, Indian foreign minister

BAHFEN: The roundtable will consist of a yearly forum, that will look at ways to develop the relationship between Australia and India. At the conclusion of Pranab Mukherjee's trip, the two countries signed an extradition treaty, and an agreement on mutual assistance. The talks between the two foreign ministers also touched on defence, security cooperation, educational ties, and trade. So much to cover in so little time, according to Mr Mukherjee.

MUKHERJEE: My visit here unfortunately was very short, almost like a twenty-twenty encounter.

BAHFEN: And the cricket metaphors flew thick and fast, with Australian foreign minister Steven Smith saying bilateral ties had been neglected.

SMITH: Australia's relationship with India this century had to be like a test match. We had to be applying ourselves diligently to that relationship on an ongoing basis. I think Australia has frankly under-appreciated its relationship with India for at least the last quarter of a century.

BAHFEN: While both countries are cricket-mad, there were more pressing matters to attend to. Mr Smith alluded to the growing popularity of Australian educational institutions in India.

SMITH: We now have over sixty thousand Indian students. We are a very popular destination for Indian students and this is a significant addition to our people-to-people contact.

BAHFEN: Mr Mukherjee also referred to education being a strong part of the bilateral relationship.

MUKHERJEE: A large number of Indian students are studying in Australia. In fact this is the third largest destination of Indian students next to the USA and the UK.

BAHFEN: But the elephant in the room was the selling of uranium. Mr Mukherjee warned against doubting his country's commitment to nuclear non-proliferation.

MUKHERJEE: It is second to none. So where supply of uranium from Australia to India is concerned I have come to Australia not with one issue of getting uranium from Australia.

BAHFEN: He said India respected the Labor government's objection to selling uranium to New Delhi - a position Mr Smith reiterated.

SMITH: And as minister Mukherjee said, the Australian Labor party has a longstanding position which is well known - that we don't export uranium to a country that is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

BAHFEN: Mr Mukherjee says India supports Australia's bid for a two-year term on the United Nations Security Council. Mr Smith repeated Australia's strong support for India having a permanent seat on the Council, and he says Australia wants India to become a member of APEC.