As he readies himself to face his biggest challenge after four years at the head of the world's most populous democracy, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh can certainly take heart from the confidence shown by the nation's business leaders.

In a survey conducted by apex industry body Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), a full 72 per cent of company 400 CEOs from the four metropolitan cities and other large towns such as Hyderabad, Bangalore, Lucknow, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Dehradun, etc. felt that the UPA government would survive the confidence vote today. (Also see: Nuclear-deal debate begins)

"The UPA government will sail through the confidence motion and emerge victorious to hasten its unfinished reforms in areas of pension, insurance, civil aviation and even labour'', was the verdict by 288 of the chief executives surveyed.

Only 112 CEOs were not too confident to conclude that the confidence motion would be taken to a logical conclusion in view of conflicting reports emanating from various political parties, ASOOCHAM said.

Releasing the Survey, the ASSOCHAM president, Sajjan Jindal said that a majority of veteran politicians are with UPA and would be able to persuade even the dissenting voices in the Parliament to vote in favour of the motion.

He further said the majority is optimistic about the government winning the vote of confidence, and argued that since the civil  nuclear agreement with US is in the interest of the nation,  good sense will prevail among a majority of MPs and they would caste their votes in favour of the motion.

The random survey did take note of the fact that in a democracy though numbers matter, in this particular confidence motion, a significant deal of cross-voting and absenteeism was widely anticipated which would go in favour of the UPA government.

Among those 112 CEOs that did not foresee the motion being sailing smoothly on Tuesday, over half - 65 to be precise - are in favour of the signing the nuclear civil cooperation.

All the 353 CEOs in favour of the deal subscribe to the view cooperation nuclear cooperation with the US would end the decades of nuclear technology isolation for India.

The body also feels that with the signing of the nuclear agreement, investments to the tune of $40 billion could be generated in field of nuclear energy in the country as leading industrialists have already started negotiations with their prospective counterparts to produce nuclear power in the country.

ASSOCHAM also believes that the nuclear agreement would lessen India dependence on the oil producers or the need for diplomatic efforts to push for a price tag on crude prices. In addition, the industry body is of the view that it would reduce the country's growing dependence on crude oil and gas as India cannot afford to keep importing crude at such large quantities when its prices are sky rocketing.

A majority of CEOs also felt that the government would allow the private sector to enter nuclear power generation.