New Delhi: India said on Friday it was pleased with the long-awaited US Senate approval of a landmark nuclear cooperation deal but noted that some more key steps remained to be fulfilled.
New Delhi's guarded reception of the news came hours after the Senate approved the controversial legislation – that allows civilian nuclear trade between the two countries after a three-decade ban by Washington – by an overwhelming 85-12 vote.
The Indian establishment was jittery about the fate of the bill in the "lame duck" session of Congress, particularly after the Democrats, strong supporters of non-proliferation, swept elections to the chambers this month.
"Of course we are pleased," a top Indian official, closely involved in negotiating the deal, told Reuters.
"The fact that it is done is good. But what this does is everytime a step is completed, it shifts our focus on to the next one that needs to be tackled," said the official, who declined to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
The deal now needs to be voted jointly by the two houses of the US Congress after they reconcile the separate legislations they have approved, followed by approvals from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group.
But the Senate action was considered critical to help allow India buy US nuclear fuel and equipment to boost its nuclear programme and meet its soaring energy needs under a deal that has become symbolic of the new friendship between the two countries.
Strong doubts had arisen over the fate of the bill after the Republicans lost their majority in Congress as diplomats and analysts felt the Democrats could stall the bill until the new chambers sit in 2007 or introduce changes unacceptable to India.
Failure in the "lame duck" session would have meant the deal would have to go through the approval process all over again.
Hours before the Senate debate started on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to President George W Bush by telephone and urged him to ensure that the final version of the bill did not deviate from what they had agreed originally in principle in July 2005.
The Indian official said there was little doubt over the bill getting approved as it enjoyed strong bipartisan support.
"The real issue was whether the Senate could find time to meet and get this moving," he said. "That was really the challenge."
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