In a further push to the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Senate version of the legislation on the subject has been introduced in the House of Representatives but it was still not clear whether the pact would be ready for signing when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets President George W Bush early tomorrow morning (IST).
After suspension of rules, the legislation that comes with a rider that will prevent the transfer of nuclear equipment, materials or technology from the NSG countries or any other source in the event of New Delhi conducting a test, was introduced in the House by ranking Republican, Florida Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Prime Minister's special envoy on the deal Shyam Saran, now in New York with the PM, have arrived here to join National Security Adviser M K Narayanan ahead of Singh's arrival here to tie-up any loose ends. Though the Indian side has maintained on record that the Bill was an "internal process" of the US, the officials are said to be not happy with the language of the legislation titled 'A Bill relating to India nuclear cooperation'.
Congressional sources are fairly confident that the US-India agreement will come up for discussion on the House floor on Thursday, but the process is unlikely to be completed the same day.
Whether Singh, who meets Bush at 0230 hrs (IST Friday) at the White House, will sign the deal with him agreed between them three years ago still remained a matter of speculation with time fast running out.
