Australian Prime Minister John Howard was yesterday ceremonially welcomed to India for a four-day visit during which he hopes to take up the issue of uranium exports to this country.

Howard, who landed on Sunday night, arrives two days after US President George Bush?s visit here that saw the clinching of a landmark civil nuclear pact.

The Australian Prime Minister was given a splendid ceremonial reception in the forecourt of the presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning.

He was warmly received by President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before being given an inter-services guard of honour in the magnificent sandstone presidential palace.

Howard will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a wide range of bilateral and global issues. The two countries are expected to sign a number of agreements in various fields including trade, defence, science and air services.

Australia, a member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, has welcomed the India-US nuclear pact that allows New Delhi access to long-denied nuclear technology and fuel in return for placing its nuclear power reactors under international safeguards.

But Australia, which has around 40 percent of the world?s known uranium deposits, has rejected sales of uranium to New Delhi on the grounds that India is not a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Howard?s last trip to India also followed the warming of India-US relations after the visit of then president Bill Clinton to India in 2000.

Bennett COLEMAN