The UN nuclear watchdog chief yesterday said a basic inspection plan for India met safeguards standards and talks had begun on a system of extended checks, boosting prospects for a US-India nuclear trade accord.

Mohamed ElBaradei spoke at the start of a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's governing board expected to ratify the inspections plan on his recommendation, a precondition for the India-US deal to take force.

The accord would open up to India the world market in atomic materials and technology for civilian use but is controversial since New Delhi has conducted nuclear test explosions and never joined the global Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

With a go-ahead from International Atomic Energy Agency governors, India would then seek a waiver from 45 nuclear supplier nations allowing trade with a non-NPT country, then ratification from the US Congress, to finalise the deal. Mr ElBaradei sought to address doubts by some on the 35-nation board about possible ambiguities in the plan applied to India's declared 14 civilian nuclear reactors, phrasing they said might blur distinctions between its civil and military atomic sectors.

"These are not comprehensive or full-scope safeguards (unlike with NPT member states)...," Mr Elbaradei said.

"(But) it satisfies India's needs while maintaining all the agency's legal requirements," he told the closed Vienna meeting.

"As with other safeguards agreements between the agency and member states, the agreement is of indefinite duration. There are no conditions for discontinuation ... other than those provided by the safeguards agreement itself," Mr Elbaradei said. Some diplomats were concerned such language might allow India to halt inspections unilaterally if nuclear fuel imports were cut off, for example in response to another nuclear test, although India is observing a voluntary moratorium.