Canada, India expand nuclear agreement

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Canada will expand its exports of uranium and nuclear technology to India, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Tuesday in New Delhi.

After a meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee, Harper said hurdles had been cleared from a 2-year-old nuclear agreement in which Canada demanded oversight of the use of its resources, the Toronto Star reported.

"This is a very important development for Canada," Harper said. "We are one of the few (countries) that has the entire spectrum of a civilian nuclear industry, all the way from uranium production to the construction of reactors."

Details weren't immediately disclosed, but a news release from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission said the two countries agreed to establish a joint commission to "share expertise in areas such as research and development, safety, and next generation nuclear facilities.

After India conducted its first atomic weapons test in 1974, Canada all but froze nuclear interactions with India.

One of the government's key concerns is that uranium and other technology could be diverted to third parties, the Star said.