US pushes India on nuclear deal

NEW DELHI: The United States on Wednesday urged India to quickly complete all steps required to conclude a civilian nuclear technology deal with Washington before the US presidential polls in November.

"Time is very tight" to get the deal through the US Congress before the United States goes into election mode, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Richard Boucher, told reporters in New Delhi.

"I am certainly aware that things fall apart ... but on the other hand, my job is to make things work. What I am focused on right now is how to make things succeed. We both want this to happen," said Boucher, who is on a two day visit here.

"We are kind of playing in overtime right now," added the diplomat, the latest in a line of US officials who have recently told India to move ahead with the deal.

The agreement, which would give New Delhi crucial access to civilian atomic technology even though it has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, requires final approval of the US Congress, where it currently has bipartisan support.

But before that, India needs approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to place India's civilian nuclear reactors under UN safeguards. It also needs the approval of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which regulates global civilian nuclear trade.

Stiff opposition from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Communist allies, who prop up his minority Congress-led government, has held up the deal.

New Delhi has completed five rounds of talks with the UN atomic watchdog in Vienna with the Indian Express newspaper reporting Wednesday that India and the IAEA were close to finalising the text of their pact.