New Delhi: Undaunted by results of the US polls, India remains hopeful that the civil nuclear deal will be tabled in Senate on November 16 as it enjoys broad-based bipartisan support.
In the event of that not happening, New Delhi is prepared for some 'delay' though it maintains that the longer it takes, the greater will be the uncertainty on the issue.
In such an eventuality, the Bush administration will push for the legislation, which will pave the way for nuclear cooperation between the two countries, in the new Congress when it meets in January 2007.
Meanwhile, the governments of the two countries are holding informal discussions to ensure that there is no change in the contents of the legislation and that its language is in total conformity with the understanding of the July 18, 2005 joint statement and March 2, 2006 Separation Plan.
New Delhi is optimistic the Senate will take up the Bill in the brief "lame duck" session, likely to take place on November 15-16, to enable the completion of the Congressional processes by the year-end.
The legislation on the deal is one of three initiatives of priority listed by the Senate to be taken up during the "lame duck" session.
Basing its hope on the "broad-based bipartisan support" the deal enjoys, India sees a "very good chance" of the Bill securing the Senate's approval.
On its part, New Delhi maintains that the parameters of the proposed law have been clearly outlined by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament and that is "really the template".
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