WASHINGTON, June 30: The Indo-US nuclear leaves India’s military programme unchecked and improperly rewards a country which has not signed the non-proliferation treaty, say US lawmakers opposed to the agreement.

On Thursday, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 16-2 to overwhelmingly approve President Bush’s proposed nuclear accord with India, the second strong endorsement of the far-reaching deal on Capitol Hill in three days.

On Tuesday, the House International Relations Committee gave the India deal a major boost by approving key aspects of the accord on a 37-5 vote. The hefty margins in both committees have revived Bush administration’s hopes that the nuclear agreement could be approved by Congress before it adjourns for the fall elections.

Two Democrats — Senators Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Barbara Boxer of California — voted against the bill on Thursday, after the committee rejected by a 13-5 vote an amendment by Mr Feingold requiring President Bush to certify that India was not using the civilian nuclear deal to boost its military nuclear arsenal.

Administration officials at the hearing had warned the provision would be unacceptable to India, but Mr Feingold argued his amendment ‘was showing respect for the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’.

“While I strongly support the growing relationship between our country and India, I have serious concerns about the effect this legislation would have on the proliferation of nuclear weapons and material around the world,” Mr Feingold said in a statement after the vote.

Rep. Jim Leach, Iowa Republican and one of the five House members who voted against the accord, called the deal ‘a serious mistake’.