Monday, April 24 2006 18:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Seeking to allay apprehensions that it was shifting goal posts on the Indo-US nuclear deal, the US today (Apr 24, 2006) said it understands that India will continue to maintain its strategic programme but believed that majority of future growth will be on the civilian side.

The US Embassy in a statement also said that Washington believed that India will not join NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state.

The Embassy statement came in the wake of reports that Washington was reneging on the nuclear pact reached last year and on India's plan to separate its military and civilian nuclear facilities firmed up during the visit of President George W Bush last month.

"We do not recognize India as a nuclear weapon state, and do not seek to amend or renegotiate the NPT. We understand, however, that India will not join the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state," it said.

It said "We understand that India will continue to maintain its strategic programme, although we believe the majority of future growth will be on the civilian side".