White House sends Indian nuclear deal to Congress

The White House said late Wednesday it sent the text of a landmark US-India civilian nuclear agreement to Congress for final approval but it remains unclear if lawmakers will give the accord the green light.
The proposed deal, signed by President George W Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July 2005, offers India access to Western technology and cheap atomic energy as long as it allows UN nuclear inspections of some of its nuclear facilities.
If Congress endorses the agreement it would lift a three decade-old ban on nuclear trade with India.
The White House said in a statement that it was transmitting the text of the agreement and other relevant documents to lawmakers, who returned to work Monday after their August recess and are expected to leave Washington again in late September to campaign ahead of the November 4 elections -- leaving little time for action on the accord.
"The proposed Agreement provides a comprehensive framework for US peaceful nuclear cooperation with India," the statement read. "It permits the transfer of information, non-nuclear material, nuclear material, equipment (including reactors) and components for nuclear research and nuclear power production. It does not permit transfers of any restricted data.
"Sensitive nuclear technology, heavy-water production technology and production facilities, sensitive nuclear facilities, and major critical components of such facilities may not be transferred under the Agreement unless the Agreement is amended," the statement said.
The agreement "will remain in force for a period of 40 years and will continue in force thereafter for additional periods of 10 years each unless either party gives notice to terminate it 6 months before the end of a period," it said, adding that either party can end the agreement before that "on one year's written notice to the other party."