Kazakhstan, world’s largest producer of uranium, is planning to increase the quantum of its India-bound supplies to 7,500-10,000 tonnes for a five-year period starting 2019 from 5,000 tonnes at present.
The previous five-year pact for uranium supply signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country will lapse this year and the two sides are in talks to renew the deal with a rise in shipments to power India’s nuclear reactors, ET has learnt.
Kazakhstan accounts for 80% of uranium supplies to India. The two countries are also planning a deal on joint application of nuclear science in areas of medicine.
Aiming to expand the bilateral strategic partnership as well as presence in Central Asia — a part of Delhi’s extended neighbourhood — India and Kazakhstan had inked a deal for renewed long-term supply of natural uranium during Modi’s 2015 trip to Astana. The Kazakh capital was rechristened Nur-Sultan earlier this year.
Kazakhstan had agreed to supply 5,000 tonnes of uranium to India for 2015 to 2019. This was the second such agreement between the two sides since 2009.
Source: The Economic Times