ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday voiced concern over a uranium supply agreement and nuclear technology cooperation between India and Canada, warning the arrangement could expand India’s nuclear arsenal and undermine the global non-proliferation framework.

The statement came after Ottawa and New Delhi concluded a long-term deal covering uranium supplies and potential cooperation in advanced nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors.

The agreement was announced earlier this week as part of efforts by the two countries to deepen energy and economic ties. Canada has previously supplied uranium to India under a civilian nuclear cooperation framework first agreed in 2010 and implemented in 2013, with commercial supply contracts signed in subsequent years.

“Assured external uranium supplies effectively release India’s domestic reserves for military use, enabling the expansion of its fissile material stockpiles, accelerating the growth of its nuclear arsenal, and deepening existing asymmetries in South Asia’s strategic balance,” foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said in a statement while responding to media queries.

“The arrangement also undermines Canada’s commitment to the international non-proliferation regime and its corresponding obligations under that framework,” he added.

Andrabi said the agreement represents another country-specific exception in civilian nuclear cooperation, noting that India’s 1974 nuclear test — conducted using plutonium produced in a Canadian-supplied research reactor — led to the creation of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

“A state whose actions necessitated the establishment of global export controls is now being granted preferential access under selective arrangements,” he added.

The foreign office spokesperson said India has not placed all of its civilian nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and has not made binding commitments under the new arrangement to do so.

He also pointed out it was unclear what concrete non-proliferation assurances accompanied the agreement.

“Pakistan reiterates that civil nuclear cooperation must be governed by a non-discriminatory, criteria-based approach applicable equally to states that are not parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),” Andrabi said.

“Selective exceptions diminish the credibility of the global non-proliferation framework and risk further destabilizing regional and global peace & security.”