India, Canada close to signing nuclear cooperation agreement

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.

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 in Mumbai on Thursday.

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"India and Canada are close to signing a nuclear cooperation agreement," Canadian Minister of International Trade Stockwell B Day told reporters in Mumbai. 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.