India, Canada negotiate nuke deal

8220;India is a responsible democracy that shares with Canada the fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law,8221; she remarked.

8220;India has made substantial non-proliferation and disarmament commitments to achieve the trust of the Nuclear Suppliers Group NSG, which were reiterated in a political statement on September 5.8221;

The negotiations come after Canada backed a decision by the NSG to provide an exemption for India that would allow it to develop civilian nuclear power even as it maintains its right to develop weapons without international scrutiny, Monette said.

She said Canada and India have longstanding bilateral ties built upon shared values of democracy and pluralism and strong people-to-people links. In recent years, both countries have been working to enhance bilateral cooperation in a number of areas of mutual priority.