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Canada and India break 34 years of nuclear jinx

by Mritunjay | November 28, 2009 at 05:19 pm

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Canada, world's largest producer of uranium, has now become the eighth country which has reached a civil nuclear agreement with India, since the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) lifted a 34-year-old ban on India to join global nuclear trade in September 2008. The group members who have already signed the civil nuclear deal with India are the US, France, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Namibia.

The deal was announced after the Canadian PM Stephen Harper and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain. The bilateral relations had turned sour between the two nations when Canada had severed the nuclear trade accusing India of misappropriating Canadian reactor designs after India in 1974 had conducted nuclear tests.

The two nations were close to clinch the deal when PM Harper was in India earlier this month but some lingering differences over the nature of safeguards delayed the negotiation. The Canadian PM added that it will take "a little time to complete the normal legal text and the ratification process." While stressing that the two nations have a lot of opportunity for trade and a labelled this as a tremendous step forward.

"Canada is a supplier, obviously an integrated supplier in the nuclear energy field and India is an expanding economy that has great energy needs," Harper said.

The agreement is likely to be signed in June next year, when the Indian PM will be in Canada to attend the G20 summit. The official text of the deal has not been released. The Canadian side said it would only be released when the legislation goes to the Parliament for discussion. The current Canadian government is a minority government and will require the support of members from opposition in order to pass the agreement.

The agreement will now allow Canadian firms to export and import controlled nuclear materials, equipments and technology to and from India. The two nations have also reiterated their resolve to triple their bilateral trade from around $5 billion to $15 billion in the next five years.

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Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 18:23 on November 28th, 2009

Thanks for this. More trade with India will help both our nations.

Mritunjay

at 18:35 on November 28th, 2009

Yes..it will. Hope the Canadian parliament ratifies the agreement.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 18:56 on November 28th, 2009

Canada and India have concluded talks on a nuclear co-operation agreement and are taking steps to prepare the document for signing, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Saturday.

He made the announcement during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Commonwealth summit in Trinidad and Tobago.

Harper said the deal will increase collaboration with India's civilian nuclear energy market and give Canadian companies greater access to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies.

"This agreement will allow Canadian firms to export and import controlled nuclear materials, equipment and technology to and from India," Harper said.

The prime minister did not say when the agreement would be ready for signing.

Earlier this year, Trade Minister Stockwell Day announced that government-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) had signed a memorandum of understanding with India for next-generation nuclear reactors.