March 20, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 11, 1429

WASHINGTON, March 19: US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Thursday and discuss the India-US nuclear deal amid concerns over its fate under a Democratic administration.

Ms Pelosi will also meet Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee during her five-day visit to India.

Her visit has assumed importance following indications that India may not be able to finalise the nuclear deal under the Bush administration which completes its tenure this year. Although most Democrats also back close US relations with India, there are lobbies within the Democratic Party that oppose the nuclear deal because of fears that it may escalate a nuclear race in the region.

Ms Pelosi has not yet taken a public position on the India-US deal but is a strong opponent of nuclear proliferation. But she also is a strong advocate of close ties with India.

As an influential Democrat, Ms Pelosi could be very useful for New Delhi if the nuclear deal is referred to the next US administration and if she chooses to back the Indian position.

Senator Joseph Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former presidential candidate John Kerry have said that the deal will be re-negotiated under a Democrat administration if it does not go through this year.

The Indian government has so far not sent its final acceptance of the deal, initiated two years ago, despite repeated US reminders that they need to meet a July deadline if they want the agreement to be implemented by the current administration.India, however, seems unable to meet this deadline because of a virulent opposition to the deal by its communist allies.