New Delhi: US Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has supported the Indo-US nuclear deal, saying it balances a range of important issues and he is "reluctant" to seek changes in the agreement.
The Democrat candidate, who initially had some reservations about the "original agreement", hoped the deal would be concluded before the end of the year.
The nuclear agreement effectively balances a range of issues -- from America's strategic relationship with India to its non-proliferation concerns to India's energy needs, he said.
"I am, therefore, reluctant to seek changes," the Democrat candidate told 'Outlook' magazine in an interview.
Asked whether the deal would be reopened or scrapped if it isn't clinched this year and he became the President next year, Obama said "A final judgement on the deal ... must await the IAEA's approval of a safeguards agreement with India and changes to be agreed (upon) by the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
"At that point, the US Congress will decide whether to approve the agreement. I continue to hope this process can be concluded before the end of the year."
His comments discount the possibility of renegotiation of the deal if the Democrat administration assumes power in the US after the George W Bush regime.
On his initial reservations on the agreement, Senator Obama said he had lately concluded that the deal would "enhance our partnership and deepen our cooperation" and help combat global warming."
Asked in which areas he would like to see US-India relations grow, the Presidential hopeful replied: "Across-the-border would be the short answer".
He specified counter-terrorism, military cooperation, promotion of democracy in south Asia and beyond, combating climate change and global poverty as areas in which he would like the ties grow.
"I would also like to see agriculture give a higher priority in our relations, as India pursues its goal of a '2nd Green Revolution'," Obama said.
He said, if the becomes the President, he intends to continue with the tradition established by George W Bush and Bill Clinton to visit India during their tenure.
Obama said India's Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi was his inspiration "because he embodies the kind of transformational change that can be made when ordinary people come together to do extraordinary things."
He cites this as the reason for having Mahatma Gandhi's portrait in his Senate office. It is "to remind me that real results will come not just from Washington -- they will come from the people."
He talked about the rural development work his mother did in India and said he was "fortunate" to have close Indian-American friends.
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