Pakistan has voiced its concerns regarding a long-term uranium supply agreement established between Canada and India, along with the potential collaboration between these two nations on small modular reactors and advanced nuclear technologies.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that Pakistan holds the view that civil nuclear cooperation has to adhere to a non-discriminatory and criteria-based approach that is uniformly applicable to all countries that are not signatories to the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
He emphasised that selective exceptions weaken the integrity of the global non-proliferation framework and may further jeopardise regional and international peace and security.
The spokesperson also said that this arrangement signifies yet another country-specific exception in the realm of civil nuclear cooperation.
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He also highlighted that India’s nuclear test in 1974, which utilised plutonium generated in a reactor initially provided by Canada for peaceful purposes, resulted in the establishment of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
According to Andrabi, India has not subjected all of its civilian nuclear facilities to the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and numerous facilities continue to operate outside the purview of international monitoring.
“Reliable external uranium supplies allow India to utilize its domestic reserves for military purposes, facilitating the increase of its fissile material stockpiles, hastening the development of its nuclear arsenal, and exacerbating the current imbalances in South Asia’s strategic equilibrium,” stated foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi in a response to media inquiries.
“Furthermore, this arrangement compromises Canada’s dedication to the international non-proliferation framework and its associated responsibilities within that context,” he continued.
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