9 Oct 2008, Washington, Oct 08: US President George W Bush on Wednesday signed a bill to ratify the India-US civil nuclear deal. The signing statement said that India can count on reliable supply of nuclear fuel from the US and that the law was not different from the 123 Agreement. Indian and US will now sign the agreement on Friday, completing the process begun by Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 18, 2005. 

Following the signature, India and the US will on Thursday exchange diplomatic notes pursuant to Article 16(1) of the 123 Agreement, thereby bringing the agreement into force - only then the deal envisioned by Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 18, 2005 would be finally done. 

India and US are the natural partners, Bush said as he signed the deal at a ceremony. "It is a big deal. Its in the interest of both US and India," he added.

Lawmakers, prominent members of the Indian American community, leading businessmen of the two countries besides officials and diplomats, who all played a major role in pushing the deal, were there for the signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House.

"This agreement sends a signal to the world: nations that follow the path to democracy and responsible behavior will find a friend in the United States of America," Bush said before he signed the agreement into law. 

The resolution of approval of the bill H R 7081, United States India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Non-proliferation Enhancement Act, passed the House of Representatives 298-117 and the Senate 86-13 with some riders, which these lawmakers contend allowed them to permit nuclear sales to India. 

India and the US will sign the landmark civilian nuclear agreement on Friday, the State Department had announced earlier in the day. 

"On Friday at 4 o'clock (0130 IST Saturday) the secretary (Rice) will sign with the Indian foreign minister (Pranab) Mukherjee, the India Civil Nuclear Agreement," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters here. 

Ahead of the signing of the legislation on Indo-US civilian nuclear deal by President George W Bush, a group of Democratic lawmakers have written to him, warning that if his "signature statement" is not consistent with American law, the next Congress "will be compelled" to reconsider the law. 

"We want to ensure that any public or private statements by the administration with regard to this matter remain consistent with US law," Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, a California Democrat, and nine of her colleagues in the House of Representatives, said in a letter to Bush yesterday. 

"Otherwise, we will be compelled to consider legislation in the next Congress to further clarify Congressional intent" they warned the White House. 

In significant comments at the signing ceremony, Bush assured there will be no changes in fuel supply commitments as contained in the 123 Agreement. "India can count on reliable fuel supplies (from US) for its reactors," Bush said. 

Bush inked the authorising legislation finally approved by the US Congress last week in a high profile ceremony at the White House's ornate East Room reversing 34 years of US policy to eventually allow American businesses to have a share of India's 100 billion dollar nuclear pie. 

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will formally sign the overall bilateral nuclear cooperation accord on Friday evening itself in a surprise announcement made by the State Department hours before Bush's signature on the implementing legislation. 

"On Friday at 4 o'clock (0130 IST Saturday) the secretary will sign with the Indian foreign minister, Foreign Minister Mukherjee, the India Civil Nuclear Agreement," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. 

"This follows on the president's signature today of implementing legislation in the United States," he added. 

In a major foreign policy success, Bush put his signature on " H R 7081, United States- India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Non-proliferation Enhancement Act " in the presence of Vice-President Dick Cheney, Rice, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, Indian Ambassador to the US Ronen Sen, lawmakers, prominent members of the Indian American community and leading businessmen of the two countries. 

The President thanked not only members of his administration, especially at the State Department and White House who worked to secure the deal, but also lawmakers and leaders of the Indian American community. 

He especially appreciated Rice for her "hard work" in bringing the deal to fruition. 

The Presidential action culminates a over three-year tumultous journey for the deal which faced opposition from lawmakers in both the two countries that also saw Left parties withdrawing support to the Manmohan Singh government. Bush and Singh approved the deal on July 18, 2005 during the Prime Minister's visit to Washington. 

Calling the Indian prime minister as his "dear friend", Bush said India and the US are "natural partners" despite being physically separated half way through the globe. 

Bush also spoke of advanced consent for reprocessing. Bush's assurances appears to have taken care of Indian concerns over issues relating to unhindered american fuel supplies and technology transfers for uranium enrichment. 

The President said the 123 Agreement is consistent with the Atomic Energy Act. 

Despite the deal coming under attack from its critics in the US, the Bush Administration has steadfastly maintained it is a very big boon to global non-proliferation. 

"The president looks forward to signing this bill into law and continuing to strengthen the US-India Strategic Partnership," a White House official said hours before the signing ceremony 

"This legislation will strengthen our global nuclear nonproliferation efforts, protect the environment, create jobs, and assist India in meeting its growing energy needs in a responsible manner," the official said. 

Rice and others had to lobby hard to win approval for the deal from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which controls global atomic trade. 

She also pushed hard for the agreement to be approved by both Houses of Congress. 

The historic agreement could not be inked during Rice's day-long visit to India on October 4 as New Delhi insisted that it would do so only after seeing Bush's signing statement. India is expecting Bush to clear the American position on certain aspects like fuel supply assurances. 

The bill was approved by the House of Representatives before the Senate gave its nod for it. It had bi-partisan support in both the House and Senate.