The pact needs the approval of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, of which Japan is a pivotal member.

"Like Japan, India sees nuclear power as a viable and clean energy source to meet its growing energy requirements," Singh said in an address to the Japanese parliament.

"We seek Japan's support in helping put in place innovative and forward-looking approaches of the international community to make this possible," he said.

In an aside from his prepared text, Singh added: "At the same time, I would like to confirm that India's commitment to work for universal nuclear disarmament remains unshakable."

Japan's support for the India-US pact is seen as significant as it is the only nation to have been attacked with nuclear weapons and is also a major civilian atomic power.

Japan has been seeking warmer relations with India but has yet to offer a position on the nuclear pact. Singh meets Friday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Yohei Kono, the speaker of the lower house, who is often seen as a liberal within the ruling party, thanked the Indian parliament for its annual silent prayer for victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"And again we call on your country to mutually cooperate to abolish nuclear weapons," Kono said in a short speech welcoming Singh.

India in 1998 declared itself a nuclear weapons state, with tests replicated soon afterwards by Pakistan, which invited years of foreign sanctions on the rival neighbors.

India says it will not use nuclear weapons first but opposes the Non-Proliferation Treaty on the grounds that it puts atomic arms in the hands of five countries which show no sign of giving them up.

Singh's deal with Bush still faces strong opposition in India by both leftists and nationalists, who say the deal compromises India's sovereignty by allowing UN oversight of civilian nuclear facilities.

earlier related report
US official hails India nuclear bill, says both nations will benefit
New Delhi (AFP) Dec 8 - A key nuclear accord between India and the United States that is on the verge of approval by Congress will be a stepping stone to enhanced military ties, a top US official said here Friday.

The legislation allowing India access to long-denied civilian nuclear technology was due to be approved later Friday by US Congress and would go afterwards to President George W. Bush for his signature into law.

Visiting US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns called the measure "historic" and said the agreement was at the "symbolic centre in this new strategic partnership" between the world's two largest democracies.

The pact would also help further Washington's "separate ambition" of creating closer military links between the two countries, he told a news conference.

"We want to build a much closer military relationship with India and we are very hopeful that the US can participate in the transformation of the Indian armed forces," he said.

India's technology-starved military, which is one of the world's largest weapons buyers, is currently shopping for 126 warjets worth seven billion dollars and other hardware worth another 3.5 billion dollars.

"We believe we produce some of the best helicopters and fighter planes in the world and we have been reliable and good partners of many countries around the world supplying that type of technology," Burns said.

"Technology transfer will allow the two militaries to have a long-term partnership, and we consider India is our partner," he added.

"We (also) want to see India and the US become closer partners in the fight against terrorism," he said, adding both nations "are victimised by terrorism ... and in this area the two countries can do a lot more together."

At the same time, Burns said the deal imposed no pre-conditions, such as an Indian commitment to choose the United States as its main weapons supplier.

"India is a sovereign country and we will never try to exert ourselves in decision-making by the Indian government. We have too much respect for the Indian people and the Indian government to even contemplate that," he said.

Burns also said the United States will not dictate terms on Indian programmes to deal with spent nuclear fuel.

"That'll be India's decision," he added.

India was denied help for its civilian energy programme after it first tested a nuclear weapon in 1974 and refused to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Under the agreement, India will be given access to civilian nuclear technology in return for placing its atomic reactors under global safeguards.

"It will allow India for the first time in decades to be a full participant in major international agreements concerning civil nuclear power," Burns said.

He said India must accelerate its negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the 44-member Nuclear Suppliers Group which must also sanction the deal before India can have access to the nuclear technology.

"But I think we are over the hardest and highest hurdles. There are some steps we need to take to complete this whole process," Burns said after meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

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