New Delhi, Oct. 4: Condoleezza Rice’s landmark trip was reduced to a routine affair with the nuclear deal legislation still awaiting the US President’s signature.

The US secretary of state, visiting India nine days after President George W. Bush hosted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the White House, said there were “no open issues” on the deal.

Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, who met Rice at Hyderabad House today, said “after the signing of the nuclear bill by the US”, the deal would be signed by both countries on a mutually agreed date.

The President’s signature on the bill to turn it into law is not mandatory for the deal to be inked, sources said. But India is waiting for Bush’s signing statement, which is expected to clarify some of its concerns, including assurance on fuel supply.

US officials who had planned Rice’s visit so that the agreement could be signed today appeared unhappy about the delay. “There is a sense of disappointment. We were hoping it would be done today in the presence of officials like US assistant secretary Richard Boucher and ambassador David Mulford,” an official said.

Rice said the wait should not be long. “The President will sign the legislation very soon. He wants to do it very soon. There are administrative reasons,” she said, adding that Bush had been busy over the last several weeks.

The US secretary of state clarified that the “Hyde Act is completely consistent with the 123 Agreement and the 123 Agreement is consistent with the Hyde Act. The US will keep its commitments to both”.

US officials have been repeating this line, but Delhi has said the Hyde Act is an “enabling legislation” and India is bound by only the bilateral agreement, which is the 123 Agreement.

Sources said Bush might sign the bill early next week after which Mukherjee will travel to Washington to put his signature.