Indo-Canada nuclear deal on cards during PM visit

India will soon sign a civil nuclear energy agreement with Canada, paving the way for supply of uranium and cooperation in research, development, waste management and radiation safety in atomic sector.

The pact on civil nuclear cooperation will be inked during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Toronto for the G-20 Summit from June 25 when he will meet his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper for a 'substantive' bilateral engagement.

Singh is also expected to meet other world leaders, including US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, who will be attending the Summit.

Briefing reporters on the visit, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry Vivek Katju said the bilateral engagement will give a fresh impetus to the economic and commercial cooperation between India and Canada in the areas of Science and Technology, health, agriculture and culture.

He said a number of agreements and MoUs were under active negotiations and are likely to be concluded and signed during the visit. These included cooperation in civil nuclear energy cooperation, social security, mining, higher education and culture, he said.

Asked about Canada's negative response to India's atomic tests in 1974, Katju said "we don't look back, we look to the future."

The nuclear pact would cover areas of research and development in nuclear energy, nuclear waste management, radiation safety and environment protection, he said.

Officials, however parried questions on whether the agreement would allow setting up of Canadian reactors, saying let the deal be first finalised.