India, on Wednesday, ruled out capping its strategic programme or diluting its stand on Iran. It added that feels the 'first and most important hurdle' in the implementation of the nuclear deal with Washington has been removed with Tuesday night's crucial voting in a committee of the US Congress.
Notwithstanding the bipartisan support a draft US legislation providing India-specific waivers received in the House International Relations Committee, officials were cautiously optimistic about the last year's July 18 deal between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush crossing the last lap by August when the US Congress was expected to clear it.
"I won't say we are already there. There is still work required to be done. This (House Committee vote Tuesday night) was the first and the most important hurdle. I can't say all hurdles have been crossed," an official said, apparently trying to underplay the significant progress made Tuesday night.
He said the most important development in ensuring the success of the July 18 deal was to get the US Administration to fulfil its commitments, which include a Presidential waiver to India to provide for civil nuclear cooperation that would also involve fuel supplies to Indian reactors.
The draft law that was adopted by the House Committee Tuesday night and would go before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday exactly provides for it, he said.
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