New Delhi on Thursday hailed US approval of a landmark agreement that lifts a decades-old ban on selling nuclear technology as a “vindication” for India.

The US Senate backed the agreement in a 86-13 vote on Wednesday night that came days after House approval. The White House says the nuclear co-operation pact opens a new chapter in relations between the countries, but non-proliferation critics say the agreement undermines global efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.