India nuclear deal takes Congress by surprise

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President George W. Bush surprised Republicans and Democrats on Monday by saying his administration would ask Congress to end decades-old sanctions preventing the US from co-operating with India on civilian nuclear programmes.

While the announcement heralded another step in improving US-India relations, Mr Bush will now have to sell the proposal to Congress, where he will face opposition from lawmakers.

One Senate aide said the debate over whether to provide India with nuclear technology would not fall along partisan lines. He said supporters of India on Capitol Hill would instead have to overcome opposition from members of Congress who believe the move increases the chances of nuclear proliferation, and makes it more difficult for the US to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear programme.

Administration officials had previously signalled that the US was not ready to increase nuclear co-operation with India. John Bolton, undersecretary of arms control during the first Bush administration, had opposed the move. More recently, his successor, Bob Joseph, told Senate Democrats before his confirmation that the administration had no intention of making such a move.