On his way to the Group of Eight summit in Japan on Monday, Manmohan Singh, India's prime minister, did not seem like a man worried that his government might collapse.

Mr Singh calmly told reporters at a press conference on his private jet that he remained firmly in support of a pact with the US to boost nuclear energy in his country. He signalled he would soon seek approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency, a necessary step towards -finalising the landmark nuclear deal.