After sealing nuclear fuel supply deals with Russia and France, India is "very close" to inking a similar agreement with Canada.
With New Delhi planning to import reactors upto 20,000 MW of capacity in next 10 years, it has laid down a road map for strategic partnership with Ottawa and is "very close" to signing a nuclear cooperation agreement, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission said here.
"This offers a major market opportunity to Canadian firms to sell nuclear reactors, fuel and technology for safeguarded nuclear reactors but they have to compete with France, the US, Russia and Australia," Ahluwalia said at a three-day Indo-Canada Energy Conference.
"Both countries are very close to signing a bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement. A joint study group is working on Free Trade Agreement," Ahluwalia said.Commending Canada's efforts at the nuclear supply club, Ahluwalia said, India is committed to restart closer nuclear cooperation with the country.
He also invited Canadian help in providing clean coal technology, non-renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy to help improve India's energy security.
Canadian Minister for Natural Resources Lisa Raitt said Canada, which is the fifth largest producer of energy, was committed to strengthening energy relations with India and "both countries are working a bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement".
"India's strategic plan is to import nuclear reactors that could generate 20,000 MW of power based on imported uranium," Ahluwalia said. "Plutonium generated from these reactors would be fed into fast breeder reactors that could end up generating more plutonium."Once India has sufficient plutonium that would put into thorium based reactors to generate power, India has large source of thorium that can only be used if the country has sufficient plutonium," he said, while outlining India's strategic plan for its energy security.
Later, Ahluwalia told newsmen that India was actively involved in two working groups set up by G-20 countries, which would lay down global standards for international financial security.Top executives of over 100 Canadian companies and top policy makers and energy sector companies from India are participating in the three day conference.
Earlier, former President Abdul Kalam addressed the delegates through video conferencing and said India and Canada could work together and realign themselves in solar, wind, nuclear and bio-fuels, municipal waste management areas.S R Gavai, the Indian High Commissioner said alleviation of poverty was a major challenge for India and Canada could play an important role in strengthening its energy security.
