Canada India Foundation applauds Harper Government support of a special waiver for India at NSG

TORONTO, Sept. 6 /CNW/ – Earlier today in Vienna, Canada, along with the 44 other members of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) granted India a “special waiver” to allow India to participate fully in the international nuclear industry and trade, and to strengthen the non-proliferation regime.

Canada India Foundation hailed the NSG’s decision as an important milestone for Canada and India relations, and credits Prime Minister Harper and Minister David Emerson for their leadership in seeking to end Canada’s 34 years of hostility towards India and to begin a new era for strong bilateral relations.

The NSG was set up in 1974, as a means to control trade in nuclear materials, technology and reactors, following India’s first nuclear test that year. Since then Canada had sought to punish India for developing nuclear technology and nuclear weapons, at a time when its hostile neighbours, China and Pakistan, possessed the same weapons. With the support of the US, India sought a special waiver which is critical to meet its economic energy needs, to enable it to cut greenhouse emissions and to promote non-proliferation. “The decision to support India at the International Atomic Energy Agency and at the Nuclear Suppliers Group is truly historic,” added Ashok Kapur, Senior Fellow, CIF and international expert on Canada India nuclear relations. “From today, India will be able to develop its clean nuclear energy capacity with modern technology to meet its growing demands and to participate in the global mainstream as a responsible nuclear power, and to work towards a fissile material cut-off treaty. The NSG action is a strong endorsement of the IAEA safe guards system.”

Canada India Foundation applauds the maturing of Canada India relations which has arisen since Prime Minister Harper’s election to office in 2006. With Canada’s ability to provide end-to-end solutions for India’s Candu based nuclear reactors, the two countries can now move forward to negotiate a nuclear cooperation agreement. This will be in the best long term political and economic interests of Canadians and both the environmental and security interests of the world.

Canada India Foundation (“CIF”) is a national, not for profit organization established in 2007 and dedicated to promoting stronger bi-lateral relations between Canada and India, while working to secure and promote the interests of Canada’s dynamic Indo-Canadian community within the Canadian mosaic.

For further information: contact Manoj Pundit, CIF spokesman, (416) 816-0841; Dr. Ashok Kapur, Senior Fellow, CIF, (519) 884-4568