Congress Credits 2008 Nuclear Deal for New India-Canada Energy Partnership

The 2008 deal, pushed through by then-PM Dr. Manmohan Singh despite intense domestic political opposition (including from the BJP at the time), ended India's "nuclear apartheid."

In a post on X, the Congress MP wrote, "The agreement that Canada and India have signed today has been made possible ONLY because of the Indo-US Nuclear Agreement finally signed in Oct 2008. This agreement was ENTIRELY because of Dr. Manmohan Singh's insistence and persistence. The agreement had been vehemently opposed by the BJP then."

Once the US and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) granted India a waiver, it paved the way for Canada to sign its own Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA) with India in 2010, which has now reached its full potential under the Carney-Modi administration.

"India and Canada have signed an agreement on the supply of uranium and on cooperation in building small modular reactors," the post read.

The deal, which includes a $2.6 billion long-term uranium supply contract and a partnership on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), serves as the ultimate "economic anchor" for the newly reset India-Canada relationship.

The agreement marks a sophisticated evolution from traditional large-scale reactors to next-generation technology.

Canadian giant Cameco will supply nearly 22 million pounds of uranium concentrate to India over the next decade. This ensures fuel security for India's existing fleet of pressurised heavy water reactors.

Both nations agreed to collaborate on SMR technology. These reactors are easier to build, safer, and can be deployed in remote areas or integrated into industrial grids, making them a cornerstone of India's "Net Zero" strategy.

Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Congress MP said that Canada was assisting India in setting up heavy water reactors at various places, following which India conducted its first successful nuclear test at the Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan.

The significance of this moment is rooted in a turbulent history. India's nuclear journey began with the US (GE) at Tarapur, but Canada became the primary partner for India's domestic program.

Canada helped develop the CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactors, which used heavy water and natural uranium. Following India's "Peaceful Nuclear Explosion" (Pokhran-I) on May 18, 1974, Canada accused India of using plutonium from the Canadian-supplied CIRUS reactor for a weapon. This led to a total freeze on nuclear cooperation that lasted decades.

"After India's very first commercial nuclear reactor, supplied by the US company GE at Tarapur, Canada was assisting India in setting up heavy water reactors at Kalpakkam and other places. This assistance was stopped after the peaceful nuclear explosion at Pokhran on May 18, 1974. These reactors were actually called CANDU reactors for Canada Deuterium Uranium," he added.

With global energy markets volatile and both nations seeking to diversify away from traditional power blocks, the partnership combines Canadian natural resources (uranium) with Indian engineering capability (SMR deployment).

His remarks come after India and Canada, earlier today, launched a Strategic Energy Partnership aimed at significantly expanding bilateral energy trade and deepening cooperation across clean energy, critical minerals and nuclear sectors.

Delivering a joint statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the partnership marks the beginning of a new phase in India-Canada ties with "generational opportunities" for both nations.

Carney noted that India's energy demand is projected to double by 2040 and that New Delhi plans to add 500 gigawatts of renewable capacity by the end of the decade, while nearly doubling the share of LNG in its primary energy mix.

Highlighting cooperation in the nuclear sector, Carney said a major uranium supply agreement was signed between the Government of India and Cameco.

The USD 2.6 billion deal is expected to support India's nuclear energy programme and strengthen clean, reliable baseload power generation.

- ANI