India actively considering Canada`s offer for nuclear coop

Ottawa, Jan 27 (PTI) India is actively considering
Canada's offer for nuclear cooperation and the government will
soon finalise the draft agreement after working out on the
final technical details and conditions under which business
can be done, the Indian High Commissioner to Canada has said.

"The Canadian draft agreement is under actively
consideration of the government and will be finalized soon as
India recognized Canadian efforts at NSG and its ability to
provide nuclear material and technology for peaceful civilian
purposes," S M Gavai, Indian High Commissioner to Canada said
during the Republic Day celebrations here.

Commending Canada's efforts to sign a nuclear pact with
India, he said: "We want to make sure that the proposed
Canada-India nuclear agreement is equitable and
non-discriminatory, and we work on the same wavelength."

The final technical details of the nuclear cooperation
agreement and conditions under which business can be done
between both countries were being worked out, Gavai added.

"Canadian firms, including federally-owned Atomic Energy
of Canada Ltd, Cameco Corp and SNC-Lavalin were eager to forge
joint ventures or work with Indian firms to help build
billion-dollar nuclear reactors and supply uranium," he said.

India is in favour of early implementation of
Canada-India Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection
Agreement and stressed on the need for facilitating greater
engagement between small and medium enterprises of the two
countries.

Referring to Free Trade Agreement between the countries,
Gavai said that there were a number of areas in which both
countries have different perceptions and efforts were being
made to resolve the differences.

Gavai said that forward movement should not be held up
because we do not have free trade agreement.

"We do not have free trade agreement with the United
States of America still there was 65 per cent increase in
trade between the two countries last year," the senior
diplomat said.

Pointing that Canada must reforms its visa regime for
students and business people he said "it was necessary to
boost trade and investment and bilateral relations."

Earlier, Gavai hoisted the national at a ceremony at the
Indian High Commission and read out President Pratibha Patil's
address to the nation.

Canada India Foundation commended the Harper Government
for taking a bold new step forward in Indo-Canadian relations
by advancing the negotiations for a nuclear cooperation
agreement. PTI