NEW DELHI, Dec 17: India said on Saturday it was hopeful it will soon be able to get international help to develop its civilian nuclear energy capabilities. “I am optimistic through constructive dialogue with the international community, we will soon be part of the mainstream with full civilian nuclear cooperation,” said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In July India signed a deal with the US that would give it access to atomic technology, to which it has been denied since first testing a nuclear weapon in 1974 and refusing to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

But the pact, which must be approved by the US Congress, is opposed by many US lawmakers as well as nuclear experts who say it undermines anti-nuclear proliferation efforts.

Mr Singh’s comments came before a second meeting of the Nuclear Working Group headed by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, which is thrashing out details of the accord.

The meeting is due to be held Wednesday and Thursday in Washington.

As part of its commitment under the deal, New Delhi must separate its military and civilian nuclear operations, permit international inspections of its civilian nuclear program and carry out no more nuclear tests.

Mr Singh’s statements to a function in the city of Indore were reported by the Press Trust of India. If the pact wins clearance, India could get nuclear fuel and reactor components from the US and other nations.

The agreement must also get the nod from the 44-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, an informal body whose members have voluntarily agreed to coordinate their export controls governing transfers of civilian nuclear material.

But in the wake of the deal with the US, both Britain and France which are members of the group have said they will relax controls on the export of civilian nuclear technology to India.—AFP