Mumbai, Jan 22: India and Canada are close to
signing a nuclear cooperation agreement after which New Delhi
can even look to manufacture nuclear equipment, a visiting
Canadian minister said here today.
"India and Canada are close to signing a nuclear
cooperation agreement," Canadian Minister of International
Trade Stockwell B Day told reporters here. Russia and France
are the other two countries that have signed such bilateral
agreements after the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.
"The final technical details of the nuclear cooperation
agreement and conditions under which business can be done are
being worked out," Day said.
The agreement envisages manufacturing of nuclear
equipment in India that are tailored for the country, he said,
adding it would also look at export of nuclear equipment to
third world countries.
Last year, India and the US signed a civil nuclear deal
under which India agreed to separate its civil and military
nuclear facilities. Subsequently, Nuclear Suppliers Group
granted India waiver to commence civil nuclear trade.
Day said India will have to meet all the requirements of
the IAEA. "Many things fall under that (IAEA requirements).
India will do that. We are looking at broad principles now,"
he said.
Bureau Report
