NEW DELHI : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in India Saturday to showcase a historic civilian nuclear deal, but last-minute hitches raised doubts that the pact would be signed on her trip.

A signing delay would be another bump in a three-year rollercoaster for the agreement aimed at lifting a ban on US-Indian civilian nuclear trade imposed after India's first nuclear test explosion in 1974.

Rice was due to meet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, and other Indian officials during her one-day visit.

After her trip to India, she will visit Kazakhstan.

- AFP/vm