Marxist politician Prakash Karat said his party wanted to see the two nations hold fresh talks on the pact under a new US administration.

"We would like the government of India to initiate a comprehensive talk with the new administrative dispensation that would come to power in the US after the coming presidential elections," said Karat, in a report in the Hindu daily.

Karat, whose party has protested against India's growing ties with the United States, also called for the pact, which would finally give the country access to civilian nuclear technology, to be widened.

"There cannot be a one-sided agreement," he said, according to a Press Trust of India news agency report.

"An open discussion could be held with Russia, Britain and France after January 2009 with a new US President."

Karat's remarks came days after the US ambassador to India warned that New Delhi could be losing its chance to join global nuclear commerce.

"If this agreement is not processed in the present (US) Congress it is unlikely that this deal will be offered again to India," US ambassador David Mulford told CNN-IBN in an interview aired Saturday.

But Indian communists have threatened to withdraw backing for the minority Congress government if it goes ahead with the pact without their approval.

They say the accord, which requires international safeguards on 14 of India's 22 reactors, threatens India's nuclear weapons programme and allies the country too closely to the US.

India's government says the deal is vital to keep its energy-hungry economy growing.

The pact still needs approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which regulates global civilian nuclear trade.

It also requires final approval by the US Congress, where it currently enjoys bipartisan support.

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