India, Canada clinch civil nuclear deal

New Delhi - India and Canada Sunday announced the conclusion of a civil nuclear deal which will enable New Delhi to access Canadian nuclear technology and uranium, a news report said. The pact was announced after prime ministers Manmohan Singh and Stephen Harper met on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Port of Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago, the IANS news agency reported.

"We have now got an agreement which means this is a tremendous opportunity for both countries," Harper said underlining it was a "tremendous step forward" in bilateral ties.

"Canada is a supplier, obviously an integrated supplier in the nuclear energy field and India is an expanding economy that has great energy needs," Harper was quoted as saying by IANS.

Harper said it would yet take "a little time to complete the legal text and ratification process."

Singh said the development "augurs extremely well" for ties between the countries.

The pact is likely to be signed when the Indian leader goes to Canada to attend the G20 summit in June next year, where he will also hold bilateral talks with Harper on the margins.

India has signed civil nuclear agreements with seven countries up to now, after the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group last year lifted a 34-year ban on the South Asian country.

New Delhi has already signed similar pacts with the United States, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Argentina and Mongolia.