The Bush administration on Thursday tried to allay concerns of Indian critics of the US-India civilian nuclear cooperation agreement by emphasising that the deal does not impinge upon India's sovereignty.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack asserted that, "India is a sovereign country," but he also noted that provisions of the so-called 123 Agreement which will govern the nuclear deal give the US President the "options in acting in the event that there is a (nuclear) test" by India.

McCormack pointed out that the USA was "not encouraging any states to test at this point."

The State Department spokesman was echoing sentiments aired by other administration officials. McCormack said, "Look, you know, a variety of officials from the USA have said essentially the same thing. And that is that we don't — we are not testing and I don't think you see advanced nuclear countries around the world testing. And certainly, we don't encourage other states to do that, all of that understood."

Earlier this month, Undersecretary of State R. Nicholas Burns had also described India as a sovereign state. Asked by The Tribune whether the nuclear deal prevented India from conducting another nuclear test, Burns said the question of future tests was "a decision for the Indian government to make."

"Obviously in the modern world, in the 21st century, advanced nuclear powers largely do not test nuclear weapons," Burns said, adding, "The USA is not testing nuclear weapons, Britain is not testing nuclear weapons. India retains its sovereign rights, but the USA retains its legal rights as well. That is a good compliment to each other."

As per US law the USA must exercise the "right of return" if a partner country conducts a nuclear test. This means Washington can take back

unused nuclear fuel and other equipment it may have transferred as part of a nuclear deal. The Hyde Act, enabling legislation in the US-India deal that was overwhelmingly approved by the US Congress late last year, gives the US President the option to waive this right.

Earlier this week, even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured Parliament that "the agreement does not in any way affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary," McCormack set off a storm halfway across the world by telling reporters the deal would be "terminated" if India tests a nuclear weapon.

Meanwhile, as the standoff between Manmohan Singh and the Left escalated an Indian official, speaking to The Tribune on the condition of anonymity, noted there was very little room for manoeuver between the coalition partners.