NEW DELHI: The Indo-US civil nuclear deal is important for India but the government should exercise caution before it takes any step forward, UB Group's Vijay Mallya said on Tuesday.

"I believe the country needs nuclear energy and this deal would be a great step in that direction," Mallya told reporters on the sidelines of a marketing summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here.    

"However, I also believe that the government should weigh all options and evaluate the pros and cons (of the deal) without any political agenda," Mallya added.