Canada-India Uranium Deal Draws Concern from Pakistan

Canada-India Uranium Deal Draws Concern from Pakistan as Islamabad warns the agreement could affect regional strategic balance and calls for transparency in global nuclear cooperation.

Islamabad, March 5 — Pakistan has voiced serious concern over a reported uranium supply agreement between Canada and India, warning that the deal could have implications for strategic stability in South Asia.

Officials in Islamabad said the arrangement, which reportedly involves the export of uranium from Canada to fuel India’s civilian nuclear energy program, raises questions about nuclear non-proliferation and regional balance. Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated that such agreements should remain consistent with global non-proliferation norms and must not contribute to an arms race in the region.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said Pakistan supports the peaceful use of nuclear energy but emphasised that international nuclear cooperation must be conducted in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner. The statement noted that selective nuclear cooperation with countries outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework could undermine the credibility of global non-proliferation regimes.

“Pakistan believes that nuclear cooperation agreements should be guided by the principles of fairness, transparency, and adherence to international obligations,” the spokesperson said.

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Analysts say Islamabad has long been wary of international nuclear partnerships involving India, particularly following past agreements that allowed New Delhi to access nuclear fuel and technology for civilian energy purposes. Pakistan has repeatedly argued that such arrangements may free up domestic nuclear resources in India for strategic programs.

The Canadian government has previously stated that its nuclear exports are strictly regulated and intended only for peaceful civilian use under international safeguards. India, for its part, has maintained that its nuclear energy program is essential to meet growing energy demands while reducing carbon emissions.

Regional security experts note that while civilian nuclear cooperation agreements are permitted under international frameworks, they often attract scrutiny in South Asia due to the longstanding rivalry between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan reiterated its call for equal access to civilian nuclear technology and stressed the need for maintaining strategic balance in the region.

The Foreign Office said it will continue to monitor developments related to the Canada-India uranium deal and raise the issue in relevant international forums if necessary.

Source:
Reuters — https://www.reuters.com
Dawn News — https://www.dawn.com