It also hailed the passage of the Hyde Act as an "outstanding" example of "bipartisan consensus" in the deeply divided US Congress.

"Following the completion of negotiations on the 123 Agreement, we continue to encourage the Government of India to move forward to complete the process that President George W Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have delineated and which when completed will bring profound economic and non proliferation benefits," US Ambassador David C Mulford said.

Amid criticism of the Left parties over aggressive advocacy of the deal by the US, he said "in the recent period we have been respectful of India's democratic process and will continue to be."

The US believes that the nuclear deal is "good for India, good for the world and good for the United States," Mulford said at a function of the American Chamber of Commerce.

In remarks apparently aimed at political parties, Mulford noted that the passage of the Hyde Act last year was an outstanding example of bi-partisan consensus and statesmanship within the US Congress at a time when its members were deeply divided along party lines on many other important issues.

Noting that the US accords "highest priority" to its relationship with India, Mulford said Washingtin sought a partnership between the world's two largest democracies who are powers in their own right.

He said the US sought a partnership "free and independent and successful for all of their people".

Mulford said it is well understood both in the US and India that the strategic relationship that has been built between the two countries in the last three to four years is of a "very high priority".

"To the US it means that we take a deep and continuous interest in India's economic progress. Our efforts in India reflect policies and proposals that are of course in the interest of the US and deeply also facilitate India's long term development," he said.