India making progress on US nuclear pact

NEW DELHI, Monday (Reuters) - India has made good progress separating the military and civilian parts of its nuclear programmes, a move critical to a deal with Washington for help with nuclear technology, newspapers said on Monday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told reporters en route to Malaysia for a regional summit that the work, which will open civilian facilities to international scrutiny, was at "a fairly advanced stage", The Indian Express and other papers reported.

A landmark July agreement for increased nuclear cooperation between the world's largest democracies still needs the approval of the U.S. Congress, but has faced some stiff opposition in Washington.

India is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty but has passed its own restrictions to prevent the spread of technology and know-how. Singh gave no further details during his comments, made on board his official flight to Malaysia.