On July 18, the United States agreed to share civilian nuclear technology and supply nuclear fuel in return for India’s willingness to separate its civilian and military nuclear programs. However, the agreement has still to be ratified by the US Congress.

“President Bush called the prime minister this evening,” Singh’s media adviser Sanjaya Baru told The Associated Press. “The two leaders reviewed the implementation of the July 18 joint statement and other bilateral issues, and touched on developments in the region.”

The discussion followed India’s surprise vote against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency last week.

New Delhi and Tehran have plans for a 2,800-kilometer (1,750-mile) gas pipeline via Pakistan to feed the growing energy needs of India’s booming economy.

But on Sept. 24, India joined the US, Britain, France, Germany and other nations in backing a resolution calling on the body to consider reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council for not complying with the international nuclear arms control treaty. The move angered Iran, but it stopped short of reviewing the pipeline deal.

Indian officials said the anti-Iran position was not made under pressure from the United States. However, the vote is expected to help weather some of the criticism leveled against the South Asian nation by US Congress members who opposed the nuclear deal with India.

Singh has said that nuclear fuel from the United States will help ease India’s severe energy sector crunch.