Canada back as partner in civilian nuclear programme after 42 years

NEW DELHI: Canada has agreed to help modernise Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), a development that comes 42 years after it withdrew from India’s civilian nuclear programme in the wake of the nuclear tests done by the country.

Officials said that Canadian firms could produce nuclear reactor components in India following discussions between the two sides at the fourth round of India-Canada Nuclear Cooperation Agreement Joint Committee meeting in Ottawa last week.

The two sides also explored investments in the civil nuclear sector under PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, the officials told ET on condition of anonymity.

Canada had withdrawn from India’s civilian nuclear programme after Pokhran-I test in 1974 reportedly involving CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactors operational in the country. Subsequently Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was formed in reaction to India’s nuclear tests. But now, as India is seeking membership of NSG on the basis of its impeccable non-proliferation track record, Canada figures among the key supporters for India’s entry into the 48-member club.

India and Canada are exploring cooperation in technology, subcontracting and collaboration in power generation involving NPCIL. With Indian reactors built on CANDU technology, India may also seek assistance from Canada to upgrade its reactors. Canada had supplied the nuclear reactor CIRUS to India in the mid-1950s under the ‘Atom for Peace Programme’ for civilian use of nuclear energy. India’s indigenous nuclear reactors are based on CANDU technology.

Indo-Canadian civil nuclear partnership entered a new phase with the conclusion of a commercial pact for supply of uranium from Canada to India during Modi’s trip to Ottawa in 2015.

With India and Russia hoping to collaborate in civil nuclear energy in third countries, there are reports that India might contribute to the two reactors that Russia is setting up in Bangladesh.