Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was sceptical of the India-US nuclear deal in the run-up to the joint statement in July 2005 declaring civil nuclear cooperation as he was unsure of its impact on domestic politics. Contrary to popular perception, it was then external affairs minister Natwar Singh who was far more enthusiastic and worked with US interlocutors to swing the PM around, getting his consent at a critical breakfast meeting with then US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice.