India, Kazakhstan to sign N-agreement

India and Kazakhstan are expected to sign by next month a broad-based civil nuclear agreement under which the uranium-rich central Asian country will supply fuel and technology to New Delhi.

India and Kazakhstan are expected to sign by next month a broad-based civil nuclear agreement under which the uranium-rich central Asian country will supply fuel and technology to New Delhi.

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India has sent a draft of the Inter Governmental Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy to Kazakhstan for its perusal before the two sides ink the pact.

Kazakhstan will be the fourth country after the US, Russia and France with whom India will have such a broad-based civil nuclear agreement.

"There is progress in preparation of the agreement on nuclear cooperation in peaceful uses. We are finishing up the agreement and will be sending it to Indian side," Kazakhstan's Ambassador Kairat Umarov said in Delhi.

"Final touches are being given (to the text of the agreement) on our side. Soon we will pass it on to the Indian side for consideration," he said.

Asked by when the pact is expected to be signed, Umarov said if all goes well, "probably by the end of first half of this year, surely."