US Senate passes India nuclear deal
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The US Senate has endorsed a landmark US-India nuclear agreement, removing the final legislative hurdle for resumption of civilian nuclear trade between the two countries after three decades.
Senators voted 86-13 to give overwhelming approval to the deal that lifted a ban on civilian nuclear trade imposed after India first conducted a nuclear test explosion in 1974.
The agreement was already approved by the US House of Representatives at the weekend by a 298-117 vote.
The congressional backing underscored bipartisan support for President George W Bush's bid to improve relations with India, the world's most populous democracy, officials said.
"This is one of the most important strategic diplomatic initiatives undertaken in the last decade," said ranking Republican Senator Richard Lugar.
"By concluding this pact, the US has embraced a long-term outlook that will give us new diplomatic options and improve global stability," he said.
An attempt by several senators earlier to amend the agreement to make it clear that the deal would be scrapped if India carried out further nuclear test explosions was rejected by a unanimous vote.
President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh first agreed to the deal in 2005 but political divisions within the ruling Indian coalition delayed approvals in New Delhi.
- AFP
