Notwithstanding Marxist strongman Prakash Karat's insistence that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh attending the G-8 would be tantamount to going ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal, the trip is very much on schedule.

The media briefing for the PM's trip, organised by the ministry of external affairs, will be held on schedule on Friday, July 4.

Karat, in an interview with the Malayalam television channel Asianet, had said, 'We will consider the prime minister going to G-8 as an indication that they have decided to go ahead with the nuclear deal.'

The G8 Summit will be held in Hokkaido Toyako in Japan from July 7 to 9.