New Delhi - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday that a civilian nuclear deal with the United States would not compromise India's independent foreign policy or hurt its strategic interests in his first comments on the issue since India's leftist parties withdrew their support for his government. 

He also expressed confidence that his government would win a confidence vote in Parliament scheduled for July 22 during a meeting with senior editors in New Delhi, according to a press release issued by his office. 

Singh's United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had to seek the confidence vote after the four leftist parties, which have provided crucial backing to the minority government, withdrew their support Friday in protest of the government proceeding with the nuclear deal, which they said compromises India's strategic interests. 

Singh maintained the deal is needed to improve India's nuclear programme to meet the country's increasing demand for energy and keep pace with its rapid economic growth. 

The nuclear agreement would allow the United States to trade fissile materials and technology with India, ending a three-decade ban. India would in return open its civilian reactors to international inspections. 

India has to reach a country-specific safeguards agreement with the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before the deal is ratified by the US Congress. A meeting of the IAEA board of governors to discuss a draft agreement has been scheduled for August 1. 

The 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which controls global trade in fissile materials, would be required to change its rules as well before the deal could be implemented. 

"The prime minister said the IAEA safeguards agreement will enable India to cooperate in civil nuclear energy development with all the 45-member countries of the NSG, including the US, Russia, France and China," the statement from Singh's office said. 

"He said that concluding the agreements would end the era of nuclear apartheid against India," it added. 

Singh also said the IAEA agreement would not impinge on India's strategic nuclear programme, which was outside the purview of the pact. 

Both India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the left have expressed fears that the nuclear deal might impact India's strategic sovereignty with the United States calling the shots and could prevent India from carrying out further tests of nuclear devices. 

"India will never allow any extraneous interference in the conduct of our independent foreign policy," Singh said, adding that the people of India understood the significance of the initiatives being taken by the UPA government and endorse them. 

Singh's government is hoping to win the confidence vote with the support of the regional Samajwadi Party and lawmakers from other small parties and independents. 

The UPA government, which came to power in 2004, is to conclude its five-year term in May, but a defeat in the floor test could mean early elections, possibly by winter. 

It would also spell the death of the nuclear deal and trigger political uncertainty as the country faces slower economic growth rates and double-digit inflation. (dpa)