U.S., India welcome nuclear partnership

NEW DELHI (AP) — Officials trumpeted a U.S.-India civilian nuclear deal as the centerpiece of the countries' new partnership, but India struck a note of caution Saturday over "extraneous" provisions.

There is broad agreement that the deal, which allows the shipment of nuclear fuel and know-how to India, is reshaping India-U.S. relations and could alter the global power balance.

But India's concerns over some of the bill's provisions — while not enough to scuttle the deal — highlight challenges the two countries face as they try to overcome decades of mistrust.

American and Indian officials also need to work out a separate technical nuclear cooperation agreement, expected to be finalized next year.

The civilian pact cleared the Senate on Saturday after sailing through the House Friday night and is now headed to the White House to be signed by President Bush.

Bush hailed the agreement in a statement Saturday.

"I am pleased that our two countries will soon have increased opportunities to work together to meet our energy needs in a manner that does not increase air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, promotes clean development, supports nonproliferation, and advances our trade interests," he said.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns called the deal a "historic step." The deal should further open a huge market for U.S. companies and give India the energy it needs. But it is far more fraught politically, as evidenced by India's more muted reaction to U.S. lawmakers' approval of the pact.

While India's Foreign Ministry also called the deal "historic," it said the U.S. legislation "contains certain extraneous and prescriptive provisions."

"No legislation enacted in a foreign country can take away from us the sovereign right to conduct foreign policy determined solely by our national interests," it said in a statement.

The statement was referring to language in the bill that would require Bush and his successors to determine if New Delhi is cooperating with Washington efforts to confront Iran about its nuclear ambitions.

Indian officials say they can live with the weakened, nonbinding language that made it into the final bill. But many in India are rankled by Washington's suggestions that New Delhi should support U.S. policy, be it on Iran or China, countries with which India is also seeking closer ties.