How does Canada’s uranium deal help India?, Pg15

Key Highlights:

• India signed a Canadian $2.6 billion deal with Cameco on March 2, 2026, for the supply of 10,000 tonnes of uranium between 2027 and 2035.
• India's domestic uranium reserves are estimated at 4.2-4.3 lakh tonnes of ore, yielding 76,000-92,000 tonnes of extractable uranium metal.
• India currently operates 24 nuclear reactors with a total generation capacity of around 9 GW, with plans to increase nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047.
• The 2025-26 Union Budget allocated ₹20,000 crore for developing a new generation of small modular reactors.

Detailed Insights:

• India relies on imports to meet nearly three-fourths of its civilian uranium requirements, with supply agreements finalized with Kazatomprom of Kazakhstan in February, and ongoing contracts with Uzbekistan and Russia.
• The deal with Cameco falls under the India-Canada Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA), signed in 2010 after the Nuclear Suppliers Group issued a waiver for India, allowing civil nuclear trade despite not signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• The NCA requires India to provide “fissionable material accounts” to Canada, and has been criticized for potentially supporting India’s nuclear weapons program by freeing up domestic uranium for military use.
• India is transitioning from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of its three-stage nuclear program, aiming to utilize its thorium deposits, but the program has faced delays and cost overruns, potentially pushing large-scale thorium deployment to the 2060s or later.
• Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) currently provide 6-7 GW, or roughly 3%, of India’s total electricity, using uranium as fuel, while domestic uranium is also used for nuclear warheads and nuclear-powered submarines.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Uranium Enrichment: The process of increasing the concentration of uranium-235 in natural uranium to make it suitable for use in nuclear reactors or weapons.
• Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): An international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
• Fast Breeder Reactor: A nuclear reactor that generates more fissile material than it consumes, allowing for more efficient use of nuclear fuel.