Hailing the passage of the Indo-US nuclear deal by US Congress, India on Wednesday said the world at large has now recognised it as a nuclear power.

"The world needs India as India needs the world. It's something which we have understood but the world at large has now recognised...We are now a recognised nuclear power," National Security Adviser M K Narayanan said.

With the Senate overwhelmingly voting a bill rejecting all killer amendments, the US Congress has put its stamp of approval on the nuclear deal, paving the way for the implementation of the major initiative between the two countries.

The deal, entered into between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush in 2005 and which nearly brought down the UPA Government, was approved by the Senate with 86 voting for and 13 against with bi-partisan support after rejecting the killer amendments moved by two Democratic Senators.

With the Senate vote, the deal is now ready for signing by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice when she arrives in New Delhi on her rescheduled trip on Saturday with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.