With uncertainty looming large over the fate of the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement in the coming lame-duck session of the Congress and the Republicans facing an uphill task in the coming polls, Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas R Burns has postponed his visit to India later next week.

Burns, the point man of the Bush Administration on the nuclear agreement, was scheduled to visit India for a few days beginning November 11. During his Delhi stay, he was to meet top officials, including Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on the progress of the nuclear deal.

State Department officials, however, insisted that “nothing” should be read out of context on the postponement of the visit on the eve of the crucial lame duck session of the Senate beginning November 13. The official said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had kept back Burns on another “pressing” diplomatic assignment; he will now be visiting East Asia. Rice has just returned from a trip to East Asia — Japan, South Korea and China— after the North Korean nuclear tests and Bush himself is scheduled for his first-ever visit to Vietnam later this month.

Burns is believed to have spoken to Menon, informing him about the postponement. “There is perfect understanding between Burns and his Indian counterparts,” the officials said. The new dates for Burns’ visit are expected to be announced after the elections are over or after the president’s Vietnam visit.

Meanwhile, the State Department is sending a team of mid-level officials to New Delhi to continue discussions with South Block from November 6 to 9 on the civilian nuclear deal.