WASHINGTON, April 4: The US State Department has confirmed reports that two Iranian ships recently visited Indian ports but indicated that it will not affect a US nuclear deal with India. A senior US lawmaker, however, claimed that India was training the Iranian navy and said it would adversely affect congressional support to the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The State Department disagreed with Congressman Tom Lantos and said the visit was a ‘limited type of event’ that was ‘overwritten.’

“They (Indians) are not training (Iranians in military) programmes, and the visits do not suggest India training or contributing to Iran’s military capabilities,” spokesman Adam Ereli said.

Iranian naval vessels visited a number of countries besides India that were friendly to the United States, he said. The port calls, he added, should not call into question India’s commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear technology and ‘its strong record as a responsible international actor.’

Nevertheless, Mr Lantos, a California Democrat, who supports the agreement, told Indian Foreign Minister Shyam Saran last week that the naval visits could have repercussions, contributing to concerns of congressional critics.

In a preview of the line Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will take over two days of Congress and Senate testimony, beginning on Wednesday, the State Department spokesman acknowledged the deal had generated concern on Capitol Hill.

Ms Rice and other top administration officials, who have been buttonholing members of Congress for weeks, hope to build consensus for the agreement, Mr Ereli said.

“We want to ensure that all their questions are answered and that there is strong support for what the president sees as a major initiative that is both good for non-proliferation and the region,” he said.

The Congress is being asked to exempt India from US laws that restrict trade with countries, such as India, that have not submitted to full nuclear inspections.

Mr Ereli rejected the notion that the Bush administration cut the deal with India to help build up the world’s largest democracy as a counterweight to a rising China.

“The driving force behind this was to bring a nuclear programme under international safeguards and to help India develop its energy sector in a way that is consistent with both non-proliferation concerns (and will) contribute to stability and international investment.”