Astana (Kazakhstan), Apr 15(ANI): Kazakhstan has shown interest in buying small Indian nuclear reactors, sources have said.
Kazakhstan is looking for 235 MW reactors, but sources say that it is a difficult prospect because there is large domestic demand.
The sources also said that India will first conduct a feasibility study.
Earlier today, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh arrived in Kazakhstan capital Astana for his first bilateral visit to the country.
Dr. Singh will be meeting Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev later today.
The inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy will be among at least six pacts that the two countries are expected to sign during Dr. Singh's visit.
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 a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during Nazarbaev's visit to Delhi.
There are 20 nuclear reactors in India and the energy starved country is planning to diversify its civil nuclear programme.
Kazakhstan has large reserves of Uranium and it has been supplying nuclear fuel to India.
Kazakhstan is also key to India's strategic and political interests, as the central Asian country would be assuming chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the last Indian Prime Minister to visit the central Asian nation in 2003. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)
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