Ending a 36-year-old freeze in nuclear cooperation, Canada signed a landmark civil nuclear deal with India with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh assuring that imported uranium and atomic technology will not be used for “any unintended purpose.”

Regrouping and power re-balancing at the all powerful G-20 is underway even as G-8 is likely to turn a strategy forum for developed countries led by US, France and Germany.

There is clear imprint of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on the final economic strategy approved by G-20 leaders of industrialised and emerging countries. G-20 that replaced G-8 as premier decision-making body endorsed differential economic strategy proposed by Dr Singh setting at rest the squabble as to continue or withdraw governments’ additional spending to consolidate fragile growth.

Leaders of the G-20 group of nations on Monday decided against immediate withdrawal of economic stimulus, strongly pushed for by India, to preserve the “fragile” global recovery, while agreeing that countries should themselves decide on the contentious financial levies.

The withdrawal of economic stimulus packages by advanced countries like France, Germany and Great Britain may lead to double-digit recession, warned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Britain’s new Prime Minister David Cameron, who heads the Conservative-Liberal Democrats coalition government, would visit India in July, official sources said on Sunday.

Britain and France have voiced their support for India’s case for permanent membership of the UN Security Council and favoured deepening of bilateral ties between them.

Masked protesters rioted across central Toronto on Saturday, setting police cars ablaze and smashing store windows in a violent show of opposition to the G-20 summit.
Toronto police chief Bill Blair admitted the police had struggled to control the crowds, and had used teargas on one occasion, after warning people to stay away from trouble spots. “We have never seen that level of wanton criminality and vandalism and destruction on our streets,” he said.

Group of 20 (G-20) leaders were unanimous in providing flexibility for member-countries to either continue with public spending and consolidate fragile economic growth or resort to austerity measures for keeping deficits under check.

India has welcomed the 46-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) stand on China-Pakistan nuclear pact that involves supply of two additional nuclear reactors for Chashma facility.