New Delhi: Giving a measured response, India today welcomed the US Congressional bill on the nuclear deal but expressed strong reservations on certain 'extraneous and prescriptive' provisions relating to Iran, end-use monitoring and sequencing.

The US sounded upbeat with visiting Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns describing the bill reconciled by the House of Representatives and the Senate as a 'big breakthrough' and 'historic'.

Government "welcomes" the outcome of the bill which would enable resumption of civilian nuclear energy cooperation between India and the US, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said in a statement here.

India, he said, appreciated the personal effort and commitment demonstrated by President George W Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in taking this initiative forward.

"We are also encouraged by the broad bipartisan support of the Congressional leadership for stronger Indo-US ties," he said outlining New Delhi's calibrated reaction.

At the same time, he said Government also notesthat the draft legislation contains certain extraneous and prescriptive provisions.

 To drive home New Delhi's apprehensions, he recalled Prime Minister's statement in Parliament that no legislation enacted in a foreign country could take away India's sovereign right to conduct foreign policy determined solely by its national interests.

During a press interaction earlier in the day, Burns brushed aside criticism that the US was trying to dictate to India on the Iran nuclear issue.