India, Canada conclude nuke deal negotiations

India and Canada have concluded negotiations on the working arrangements for the nuclear pact signed in 2010 and will sign a social security agreement as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper on Tuesday.

India and Canada have concluded negotiations on the working arrangements for the nuclear pact signed in 2010 and will sign a social security agreement as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper on Tuesday.

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However, it is learnt that both the countries will not sign any agreement that signals the conclusion of “negotiations on the appropriate arrangements of the bilateral pact signed in 2010 for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.” The negotiations were a winding process, considering the mistrust the two countries had on the issue in the past.

Three agreements, including a social security pact and furthering ties on information technology, are set to be signed after the meeting.

The social security agreement will exempt Indian professionals on a short-term visa from paying the social security benefits, besides letting them repatriate the money they have invested in similar schemes.

Canada is a major producer of uranium. It has been insisting on an assurance from India on the end use of uranium.

The energy cooperation between the two countries is growing and the falling prices of gas in North America is a key factor that brought a renewed verve to the ties.

In an interview to Postmedia News, Harper said it is time to turn the page on the very challenging and guarded relationship Canada had with India.