NEW DELHI: Pressing India to speed up implementation of the nuclear agreement, three influential US Senators last week said the negotiations with IAEA and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) should be wound up by May failing which New Delhi will not get a "similar" deal. Senators Joseph Biden, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here, said if the deal is not taken up the US Congress by June and the process completed during the tenure of President George W Bush, any new US administration will "renegotiate" the deal.

They talked about the possibility of Indo-US relations being impacted if the deal does not go through, saying there could be "misunderstanding" in India and questions as to whether the failure was deliberate by the US Congress.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister told them about the "dilemma" and "difficulties" of his government because of coalition but remained optimistic about concluding the deal, the Senators told a press conference here.

"We are running out of time. The clock is running," said Biden, Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee when asked what message they conveyed to Singh. Biden said India will have to firm up the Safeguards agreement with IAEA and seek waiver from 45-nation NSG before June to enable the US Congress to vote on it.

"If the deal is not before the Senate by early June, there will be little chance (of the deal going through)," he said, adding there would be practical problems as the Congress will have only 20 sittings during which issues related to US budget will dominate.

"In order to be able to have time (for the deal) to be passed in the Senate, we really probably have to receive it in May. So, I think, somewhere in the next weeks the decision got to happen," Kerry said. "If it government sends it (deal) to us at the last minute and if we are not able to get it done, then it will be seen here in India as a rejection or lack of trust (by the US Congress).

That will be a terrible shame," Biden said. "If the deal does not get through, it will be very complicated. It will have an indirect impact on the (Indo-US) relationship. You will begin to question us: ‘the US does not trust us?’... The only worry is misunderstanding will flow," the Democrat Senator from Delaware said.

"Our only concern is that if the (Indian) government does not move in a timely fashion, those who do not value our relationship, will play mischief in future," he said. Noting that Singh was committed to the deal as it was an "incredibly important" for the relations, he said "the Prime Minister is still optimistic."

Hagel said if the deal is not ratified by the Congress during Bush’s tenure, the next administration, whoever the President is, will renegotiate the agreement. "It will not be the same agreement." Pointing out that the US values India, Biden said it should be brought to the table of discussion on overhauling global non-proliferation system which the Democrats want.

He said some other countries also approached the US for a similar deal but it was turned down as India is special and is a non-proliferator. "There are a number of senators who will not be sad or disappointed if the deal does not come through as they feel it is one-sided favoring India," Biden said.

"It is in India’s interest (to move fast on the deal). It is India’s decision," he added indicating that it was not a pressure tactic but a statement of facts. He said if India sends the deal to the US at the last moment, it will not go through and it could be seen in India as a rejection. "That will be a wrong message.

We trust India. We trust Indians. We value very much India being brought to the nuclear table," Biden said. "Our common interests go beyond the nuclear agreement. We need to be partners and stay engaged," Hagel said. The US views its relationship with India much beyond the civil nuclear agreement and Prime Minister Singh emphasized the "incredible importance" of it, he said.

"We asked the Prime Minister whether or not this (deal) was over and he said ‘no’," Biden said. He said Singh appeared "still optimistic" about the nuclear deal and explained the difficulties faced by the government within the country regarding the agreement.

The senators also held talks with National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and had a luncheon meeting with some Parliamentarians.