Kazakhstan: Astana Pursues Nuclear Energy Deal with India

Uranium from Kazakhstan will soon be powering Indian nuclear plants, the Kazakh ambassador to India revealed in a newspaper interview.

In comments published November 8 by the Times of India, Kazakhstani envoy Kairat Umarov said state-owned Kazatompron was interested in exporting nuclear fuel to New Delhi, and assisting in the building of reactors.

"Kazakhstan today is the third biggest uranium producer after Canada and Australia. It is expected that by 2010, Kazakhstan will become the largest producer of uranium with production of 15,400 tons annually, which will be equal to 32 percent of the world's total production," Umarov said.

India is currently seeking uranium supplies from Canada, Mongolia and Niger.

Umarov indicated that details of a uranium-supply pact would be worked out in connection with a pending visit by Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev to India.