Kazakhstan to supply 2100 tonnes uranium by 2014

Kazakhstan today announced that it will supply 2100 tonnes of uranium to India's nuclear plants by 2014.

Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev made the announcement after talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here.

Singh said that India intended to increase its energy production five-fold in the near future.

The two leaders noted the need for expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation in this area while adhering to their existing obligations under multilateral nuclear regimes, a joint statement said.

India and Kazakhstan already have civil nuclear cooperation since January 2009 when Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Kazakh nuclear company KazAtomProm signed an MoU during Nazarbaev's India visit.

Under the contract, KazAtomProm supplies uranium which is used by Indian nuclear reactors. Kazakhstan has already supplied 200 tonnes uranium to India.

India is also exploring possibilities of joint exploration of uranium in Kazakhstan.