India today said that Canada could be its true partner for achieving food and energy security. Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi today following delegation level talks, the visiting Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said that oil and gas are other attractive options. Both the countries are also working towards early implementation of civil nuclear deals which was signed in 2010.

Making it clear that it has no concern over nuclear proliferation from India, energy-rich Canada today hoped for early conclusion of administrative discussion over the civil nuclear deal and said,it can be a stable supplier of natural gas.

Describing the nuclear deal as a milestone in Indo-Canadian ties, Mr. Krishna said, there was nothing that is holding back the deal. Mr. Krishna added that he and Baird had a productive discussions on the entire gamut of bilateral relations. He said, both the countries are making progress on bilateral framework agreements like the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the Social Security Agreement.

This is in addition to a number of agreements for co-operation in areas like agriculture, mining and higher education signed over the last few years. The civil nuclear deal, energy and food security, economic ties besides greater cooperation in counter terrorism and security, prominently figured in the discussion, the two Ministers had.

AIR correspondent reports, ending a 36-year-old freeze in nuclear cooperation, Canada had in 2010 signed a landmark civil nuclear deal with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assuring the Canadian leadership that imported uranium and atomic technology will not be used for any unintended purpose. Canada is a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.