Click to play videoWashington: The Indo-US nuclear deal has inched forward with the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee (FRC) approving it for a vote.
Now the deal goes to the US Senate for a vote and then the approval of the House of Representatives needs to be secured before the two countries can sign the agreement.
A US Senate FRC on Tuesday approved the US-India Nuclear Agreement by a 19-2 margin even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in New York.
The Senate has taken the first important step towards a possible vote on the India-US nuclear agreement.
This provides a glimmer of hope that the deal would be consummated by the time he visits Washington DC on Thursday.
The move couldn't have been better timed. Air India One carrying Prime Minister Manmohan had flown into Andrews Air Force Base outside New York. Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh’s remarks conveyed tension yet relief.
“Let us see. It is not clear yet. We are not certain yet. Much depends on the US Congress. I am not an astrologer,” said the man who had gone all out for the deal back at home.
His apprehensions before the Senate and then the Congress stamps the deal for a passage forward are not unfounded.
Senate decisions are by unanimous consent, which means any deal critic could get up and stall the approval process.
But even the non-proliferation lobby believes this is unlikely and the deal will go through the Senate.
The major obstacle remains the House of Representatives. Howard Berman of the leaked letter fame is a deal critic and wants the letter tagged on to the nuclear deal. India has told the Bush administration that this is unacceptable.
But Berman has also indicated that he favours civil nuclear cooperation with India.
There are reports that Senator Joe Biden and Richard Lugar are working on a compromise.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is believed to have briefed Berman on the details.
Many feel that the priority for Congress remains the US $ 700 billion Bush stabilisation package and not the Indo-US nuke deal.
Congress also seems determined not to let the package through without a debate.
With only two days to go before this session ends what happens to the nuclear deal is anybody's guess.
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