The Bush administration has said “internal pressure” within India to swiftly move on the civilian nuclear deal is “good” and termed the July timeline for its approval as “realistic”.

“... that is our appreciation of the timeline as well,” Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns said when asked to comment on Senator Joseph Biden’s statement during his recent New Delhi visit that the nuclear deal has to be approved so that it is taken up in Congress by June and ratified by July. He said the July timeline put forth by Biden “is realisitic” as the initiative will have to get to Congress before the summer recess.

Asked about the deadline, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said “we have a little bit more time than that, obviously, on the calendar before the end of the president’s term.

“But if there’s internal pressure from inside India for them to move more quickly, I think that’s good. And I saw a report today that said that there are some elements within India that are very supportive of getting the deal done.”

Answering a question on the civilian nuclear initiative during the interactive session at the Council on Foreign Relations here, Burns said “the only way India can emerge from this nuclear isolation is to have this agreement go forward. If this fails, I think it will be several years or many years before another attempt is made.”

He stressed that there was bipartisan support for the deal in Congress and a “very strong majority of countries internationally” are strong supporters of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group granting exemption to India.

Pranab to visit US

The civil nuclear deal touted as the “symbolic centerpiece of relationship” by the Bush administration will be the focus of talks External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will having during his visit to the United States next month.