FOREIGN Affairs Minister Micheál Martin yesterday denied that the Government had “capitulated” to the Bush administration by withdrawing its opposition to a controversial US-India nuclear energy deal.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group approved a contentious US plan to sell peaceful nuclear material technology to India, delegates at the 45-nation talks said today.

India and the United States have moved significantly closer to implementing a landmark nuclear deal with the approval of an inspection plan by the UN nuclear watchdog.

INDIA’S government survived a hotly contested confidence vote yesterday, clearing the way for it to finalise a landmark nuclear energy deal with the United States.

VISITING US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson urged India on yesterday to quickly implement a landmark civilian nuclear energy deal with the United States.