WASHINGTON, March 1: A senior US official has warned India that it cannot acquire nuclear technology from the international market without America’s support and urged New Delhi to act on a proposed nuclear deal with Washington within 30 days.

The warning, by the outgoing US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, caused uproar in India where politicians alleged that the US has started “blackmailing” New Delhi for getting the civil nuclear deal signed before July.

In a statement issued on Saturday, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India A B Bardhan urged Indian rulers not to be bullied by the Americans. “They are now threatening that if the nuclear deal was not signed, our deals with Russia and France would also be blocked,” he said.

If approved, the deal would give India access to US nuclear technology and fuel for the first time in 30 years and may open the door to international acceptance as a nuclear power despite New Delhi’s refusal to join the non-proliferation regime.

India, however, has been hesitant in finalising the deal because of a strong opposition from its communist allies.

“I think it’s important to note that the US Congress will go out of session in July 2008,” Mr Burns told reporters in Washington while explaining why India needs to act now.

The agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, needed to finalise the deal, must be made within a week or two, he added.

The 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which also has to ratify the deal, would have to begin acting in the month of March.

“So there are very short timelines here, and I’m afraid it’s time for the government to decide. … We do need the Indian government to act in the next 30 days in order to move the other pieces forward,” said Mr Burns.

After fulfilling these requirements India needs a final approval from the US Congress, which has to wind up its legislative business for the year before the Nov-4 presidential election.

Although the proposed deal enjoys a bipartisan support in Congress, further delay could cause it to be referred to the new administration which may delay the entire process indefinitely.

Mr Burns warned that India cannot get approval from international bodies for obtaining nuclear technology from the market without US assistance.

“We’re the leading country that will support the Nuclear Suppliers Group in making an international case that all countries should engage in nuclear trade with India,” he said. “That cannot happen without the United States, because that Nuclear Suppliers Group, of which we are a leading member, has to decide by a consensus.”

Asked about relations between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan, Mr Burns said peaceful relations between the two is a must for the entire world.

“We hope that when the new government is fully put together in Pakistan and takes office, that there will be an opportunity to resume the forward movement on the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan,” he said.