Thursday, June 8 2006 09:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: A prominent US lawmaker has backed the US-India nuclear deal and said he is for a stronger relations between the two countries.

The decision of Henry Hyde, the Republican Chairman of the International Relations Committee of the House of Representatives, is said to have been made known in a private meeting with the US India Political Action Committee, a USINPAC release said.

The powerful Chair of the House Committee is also reported to have stated that he is 'confident the bill will pass and is willing to push it through'.

"I am for a stronger US-India relations and I understand that India is in a very dangerous neighbourhood and energy self sufficiency is very important to them," Hyde is reported to have remarked, the release said.