Indian association asks US Congress to back nuclear deal

Arguing that it was in the long-term interest of the United States to improve relations with India, the Federation of Indian Associations has asked the International Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives to back the Bush administration's decision of transferring civilian nuclear technology to India.

"I urge you to support this agreement (reached between President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July) that is an important part of the process of transforming relations with this fellow democracy," Sudhir Parikh, President of FIA said in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Republican Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois.

Parikh reminded the Committee that Indian and US interests had converged and overlapped in recent years across strategic areas -- India had voted against Iran's secret nuclear programme, provided support during the Gulf War in 1990, supported President Hamid Karzai's government in Afghanistan and the US in the fight against the Al-Qaeda and Taliban.

Parikh took the position that India has not allowed proliferation despite having an advanced nuclear energy programme for decades and should be given its due. "On the other hand, India's neighbours -- Pakistan and China -- have been the main source of proliferation of nuclear and missile technology to countries like Iran, Libya and North Korea," he said.