Washington: The US House of Representatives held off Friday from voting on a White House plan that would allow the US to sell nuclear material and civilian nuclear technology to India.

The House debated the measure Friday evening but deciding to delay a vote on the agreement until at least Saturday. The measure must also pass the US Senate, which has not scheduled a vote but is expected to convene over the weekend.

The Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Howard Berman, introduced the agreement to lawmakers, and aides believed a vote Friday was likely, but Congress was dealing with a full legislative agenda as it nears recess until after the Nov 4 general elections. US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inked the deal in 2006.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the accord Tuesday. Legislative aides predict the agreement will pass both chambers. The agreement is at the top of Bush's foreign policy agenda as he prepares to leave office, and it is seen as the cornerstone of stronger diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries.

Bush met with Singh Thursday at the White House and assured him that the US administration was working to win prompt passage of the deal before the current congressional session ends in the coming days. "It's taken a lot of work on both our parts, a lot of courage on your part," Bush said. "And so we are working hard to get it passed as quickly as possible." Since the two leaders signed the deal, both countries have been in complicated negotiations to implement it, mainly to ensure that US technology could not be used in India's nuclear weapons programme.

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