US firms finding ways to move ahead on civil nuclear deal with India

WASHINGTON: American companies are now finding ways to move ahead on commercial negotiations with India on the civilian nuclear deal, a top Obama Administration official said on Wednesday.

"On the civil nuclear deal, we are pleased US companies are finding ways to move ahead with commercial negotiations," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake lawmakers at a Congressional hearing.

Blake's remarks in his testimony before House Committee on Foreign Affairs Sub Committee on the Middle East and South Asia came immediately after a key American Congressman raised concerns over the non-implementation of the civil nuclear deal.

The historic civil nuclear deal has not been implemented, said Congressman Steve Chabot, Chairman of the Sub-Committee.

"To date the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement hasn't met the US commercial expectations due to the nuclear liability law passed by the Indian Parliament which essentially shuts-out US companies," he said.