India and Canada agree to $1.9 billion uranium deal as Carney meets PM Modi

India and Canada agree to $1.9 billion uranium deal as Carney meets PM Modi

India and Canada on Monday agreed to a $1.9 billion, 10-year uranium supply deal for Indian nuclear power reactors, and to conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) this year, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in New Delhi in an effort to establish “strategic trust” and reset ties ruptured over the past few years.

However, issues over the killing of Canadian-Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar persisted after new reports that Canadian investigative agencies believe two officials in the Indian Consulate in Vancouver were linked to the case, a charge that India rejected.

After the talks between the Prime Ministers, India and Canada announced a number of agreements including a Strategic Energy Partnership in the fields of renewable energy, LPG and uranium supplies, and cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, as well as MoUs on education and culture.

India-led alliance

They also issued the “Terms of Reference” for the CEPA or free trade negotiations, aiming to double bilateral trade by 2030. Canada also decided to join the India-led multilateral International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Global Biofuel Alliance as a member.

The two leaders discussed the escalation of the conflict in West Asia, although they didn’t put out any joint understanding on the issue. Mr. Modi described the situation as one of “deep concern” and called for “diplomacy and dialogue” to resolve it.

On Friday, Mr. Carney, who spent the weekend in Mumbai, issued a statement supporting the U.S.’s strikes on Iran.

Mr. Carney is the first Canadian Prime Minister to make a bilateral visit to India since his predecessor Justin Trudeau visited India in 2018, and then in 2023 to attend the G-20 summit. Both visits were fraught with tensions, especially over New Delhi’s concerns that the Canadian government is harbouring violent anti-India groups, including Khalistani leaders, and Ottawa’s accusations that Indian government officials are involved in “transnational repression” of these groups.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, India and Canada agreed to strengthen security cooperation in a number of areas, including addressing “violent extremism, terrorism, organised crime”, and called for an early meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counterterrorism, to follow recent talks between the National Security Advisers.

Nijjar killing row

“Prime Minister Carney also underscored that Canada will continue to take measures to combat transnational repression,” a statement issued by Mr. Carney’s office said separately.

On Monday, The Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, quoted official sources saying that the Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS) had “evidence” pointing to the involvement of two Indian officials at the Indian consulate in Vancouver in the Nijjar killing case, set to go to trial this year.

In addition, Canadian newspaper The National Post reported a statement by the CSIS that it stands by a previous assessment that India is a “perpetrator of foreign interference and espionage against Canada”.

When asked about the reports, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary P. Kumaran said India continues to reject all such charges.