US Senate India Caucus to meet today

The newly re-constituted US Senate India Caucus will resurrect itself on Tuesday evening with its first meeting for the year during which it will also formally welcome India's Ambassador to the US, Meera Shankar, who assumed duties two months ago.

The meeting will also be the first formal opportunity where the new Democratic co-chair of the Caucus, Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut, who took over from erstwhile Senator and now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will present himself to his colleagues and Indian American community leaders expected from across the country and spell out his agenda for the Caucus along with the founder and Republican co-chair Senator John Cornyn of Texas.

The meeting and welcome to Shankar on Capitol Hill (at 5.30 pm in the Mansfield Room) will be followed by a reception accorded to the members of the Caucus by Shankar herself, also on Capitol Hill at 6.30 pm in the Hugh Scott Room).

In an invitation to Indian American community leaders, the offices of Dodd and Cornyn said that besides the reception honoring Shankar, 'This event will also mark the beginning of a new partnership between the US Senate and Americans of Indian descent aimed at furthering our common interests and enhancing US-India relations. To that end, your attendance, is invaluable in making this new beginning a tremendous success."

Dodd and Cornyn, in a missive to there colleagues, urging them to attend the event, said that in addition to India being the world's largest democracy, it was also "one of the world's biggest and most dynamic economies."

The co-chairs wrote, "During this decade, India and the United States have cooperated more closely then ever before, proving that our two nations are well suited for not only a partnership, but also a friendship."

"Robust cooperation between the US and India means increased economic opportunities for both nations, as well as a chance to join together to spread the fundamental principles of freedom, democracy, tolerance, and the rule of law throughout the world, benefiting Americans and Indians alike," they argued.

Dodd and Cornyn added: "A strong relationship between the US and India, based on mutual trust and respect, will enable close collaboration across a broad spectrum of strategic interests, such as counter-terrorism, promotion of democracy, fostering regional economic development, encouraging respect for human rights, and expanding scientific research."

"To that end," they said, "the Senate India Caucus provides a forum for members of the Senate to work closely with Indian government officials, Indian Americans, and other friends of India in the US to help promote the already flourishing relationship between our countries and candidly discuss issues of common concern."

Interestingly, on the eve of this meeting, on Sunday, Cornyn, profusely apologised for his slip of the tongue when in a web video, which hit You Tube within hours, he had stated that a 'rising India' is a grave threat to the United States.

Lashing out at the Obama Administration's decision to eliminate the F-22 fighter aircraft program by the Pentagon, on the recommendation of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Cornyn had said the F-22s are "important to our national security because we're not just fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We're fighting --we have graver threats and great threats than than: From a rising India, with increased exercise of their military power; Russia, Iran, that's threatening to build nuclear weapons; with North Korea, shooting intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of hitting American soil.'

After, this faux pas was brought to his notice, Cornyn's office rushed a statement saying "Senator Cornyn misspoke saying India when he mean to say China."

The lawmaker's spokesman Kevin McLaughlin, went on to say that 'as founder and co-chairman of the Senate India Caucus, no Senator has greater respect or admiration for India or values our relationship with them more. Senator Cornyn regrets the mistake and apologies for any misunderstanding this may have caused."