The agreement does not entail any specific sales of uranium or nuclear technology that may be converted to military use to India, which has come close to the brink of nuclear war with neighbour Pakistan, although their relations have warmed in recent months.

Neither India nor Pakistan are signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, officials from both Canada and India are working towards that end, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew told reporters outside the House of Commons Monday.

"Clearly, we will consult with our allies and strategic partners," Pettigrew said. "We're going to be responsible, but we have to acknowledge the substantial progress that has been made in India."

"We favour everyone signing the non-nuclear proliferation treaty... In the meantime, we respect India's major progress in that direction," he said.

Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh pointed to his country's "no first strike" policy and its recent end to nuclear testing as evidence that it has so far acted as a responsible nuclear power.

Canada's move "recognizes our responsive record and the importance of civilian nuclear energy for India's economic growth," he said.

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