Record 27 US Congressmen to visit India this month

The top lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties are visiting India in two separate delegations. Describing this as an important development, Navtej Sarna, Indian ambassador to the US, said such visit is reflective of the efforts on the part of the US to “strengthen and build” on the bipartisan support that they have in the US Congress for India-US relations. 

Congressional records indicate that this is the largest ever travel of US lawmakers to India. The largest delegation of 19 Congressmen, being organised by the prestigious Aspen Institute, would be in India from February 20 to 25 with stops in New Delhi and Hyderabad. 

During the visit, the lawmakers are scheduled to have a wide range of meetings from top government officials, politicians, members of think-tanks and NGOs. Another bipartisan Congressional delegation (or Codel) of eight lawmakers, being led by Bob Goodlatte, chairman of powerful House Judiciary Committee, would be in India from February 20 to 23, visiting New Delhi and Bengaluru. 

The delegation includes Congressman George Holding, Co-Chair of the India Caucus, Jason Smit and Dave Trott. All four are Republicans. Meanwhile, the Democratic members include Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressmen Hank Johnson, David Ciciline and Henry Cuellar.