WASHINGTON, Sept 16: Dozens of leading US companies have urged the Senate to approve the nuclear deal with India, saying it will create major trade opportunities for them.

The US-India Business Council and the Coalition for Partnership are sending a joint letter to every member of the US Senate, telling them that they should not waste the opportunity to “strengthen the growing partnership between the world’s oldest and the world’s largest democracies”.

US companies believe that India will be in the market for more than $100 billion in nuclear supplies and Washington is eyeing India’s immediate $15 billion agenda of upgrading its armed forces contracts.

The letter sent in anticipation of the Senate vote on the proposed deal is signed by five leading business associations, 28 companies, nine Indian-American organisations and 22 foreign-policy experts.

Former defence secretary William S. Cohen, three former ambassadors to India — Frank G. Wisner, Thomas R. Pickering and Richard Celeste — and noted policy experts have endorsed the letter.