The United States will further its relationship with India, the White House said on Friday, three days before President George W. Bush signs the US-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act.

 

Praising India's growing economy and its democratic construction, White House spokesman Tony Snow said "It is very important to us that we continue to deepen our relationship with India."

 

The US Congress approved the nuclear cooperation deal between the United States and India last week to allow US shipments of civilian nuclear fuel to India.

 

The nuclear agreement, which was negotiated in March 2006 by President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, will lift a decades-long ban on nuclear sales to India, in part, because of the country's refusal to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

 

Under U.S. laws, following Bush's signature on US-India nuclear cooperation bill next Monday, the two countries still have to obtain an exception for India in the rules of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, an assembly of nations that export nuclear material, before civil nuclear shipments could begin.

 

Besides, India also has to reach a safeguard agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2006)