Canada, a key member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has hinted of its likely support for India for the Indo-US nuclear deal."Canada is considering the proposed exemption for India from the Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines in accordance with Canadian interests and principles," said Bernard Nguyen, spokesperson at the Foreign Affairs Department.Nguyen, however clarified that Canada's support for the Indo-US nuclear deal at the NSG did not mean revival of the Indo-Canadian nuclear relations."Canada's current nuclear non-proliferation policy and multilateral commitments prohibit nuclear cooperation with India, at this time," Nguyen said.Industry officials say that the government was likely to lift the maratorium on India imposed after New Delhi had declined to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty even after conducting the first nuclear test in 1970.Sources said it was only a matter of time before the government lifts the ban and opens Canada's nuclear industry to the multi-billion dollar market in India to cater to its massive energy needs in the future because of rapid economic growth, the National Post reported."Our understanding was that once things had cleared with the US, then there was the potential for the Indians to come to Canada or even other countries to have similar discussions," said Martyn Wash, president of the Organization of CANDU Industries. "That's what we were led to believe," he said. Earlier this month, India's High Commissioner to Canada R L Narayan had said his country hadn't formally approached the Canadians, but that it hoped to build on an agreement in principle that was approved under former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin in September, 2005, to expand nuclear cooperation between the two countries. Following his election in 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he was looking at the possibility of an arrangement with India "with some degree of caution."
