"It's a necessary agreement. It's one that will help both our peoples"
George Bush
The US and India have finalised a controversial nuclear deal after talks in Delhi between President George W Bush and Indian PM Manmohan Singh.Read More
Energy-hungry India will get access to US civil nuclear technology and open its nuclear facilities to inspection.
Mr Bush, on his first visit to India, called the deal "historic".
But he said it may be hard to get it through the US Congress, which must ratify it. India has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says the nuclear deal would end years of international isolation for India over its nuclear policy.
But critics say it sends the wrong message to countries like Iran, whose nuclear ambitions Washington opposes.
Communist parties and Muslim groups are opposed to the visit and are leading protests across India, but Mr Bush is being welcomed by many other Indians.
Indian pledge
Speaking at a news conference after the talks, President Bush said: "It's a necessary agreement. It's one that will help both our peoples.
"Congress has got to understand that it's in our economic interests that India have a civilian nuclear power industry to help take the pressure off the global demand for energy."
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