India, Canada may ink civil nuke deal on G-20 sidelines

New Delhi, JUne 8 (ANI): India and Canada are likely to ink a civil nuclear agreement during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's three-day visit to Toronto.

Dr. Singh will be in Toronto from June 26 to 28 for the G-20 Summit, and according to sources, the agreement will be signed after a bilateral meeting between him and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Both countries will also review their bilateral economic and cultural ties.

A dinner will also be hosted by the latter in honour of Indian Prime Minister on June 27.

"We hope to complete the prerequisite of the agreement before Dr. Singh arrives in Toronto," officials here were quoted, as saying.

Once signed, the greement will allow Indian firms to export and import controlled nuclear material, equipment and technology to and from Canada.

India has already signed similar agreements with countries like the United States, France and Russia.

The proposed comprehensive economic partnership agreement, the Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (FIPPA), MoUs signed by the two countries in energy sector and cultural and social security agreements will also be reviewed during the visit, sources said.

Bilateral trade and investment volume is currently pegged at five billion Canadian dollars. It is hoped that during Dr. Singh's visit, both sides will seek to enhance this to 15 billion Canadian dollars by 2015. (ANI)