US congressional delegation to visit India

Former Republican co-chairman of the India Caucus Edward Royce will be visiting India during the upcoming congressional recess as part of a congressional delegation.

The visiting delegation will meet with top Indian nuclear officials and assess the state of negotiations of a civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreement -- which requires congressional approval -- between the two countries.

The delegation will also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, top BJP leaders and government officials, besides some key Indian trade and business officials.

"Young Indian scientists and engineers in the nuclear field want to collaborate with their American counterparts but they are currently isolated," Royce said in a statement.

Royce said the meetings will also focus on promoting closer cooperation between the two countries in fighting Islamist terrorism.

"Unfortunately, India has a long history of confronting Islamist terrorism. The US has a lot to learn from India's years of counter-terrorism efforts," he said.

Last July, Royce managed landmark legislation allowing for civilian nuclear energy cooperation between the US and India, opening doors for India's nuclear trade with the world. The legislation was signed into a law in December 2006.

Royce was the lead legislator in defeating a motion, offered by Democratic Edward Markey to revise the legislation and effectively sink the US-India nuclear cooperation agreement.