Washington, Feb 14: India would enjoy wide support in the new US Congress and the bilateral relations are expected to further deepen as most of the new parliamentarians are known to have supported New Delhi's concern in the past, according to a leading American think tank. India can expect friendliness from the new Congress, said, James E. Carbaugh, who periodically issues an 'India Report'.
India is "likely to enjoy wide support," he said adding Congress will probably be in step with the bush administration's ongoing effort to broaden bilateral relations.
The chairmen of both the Senate foreign relations committee, Senator Richardlugar, and house International Relations Committee, Congressman Henry Hyde, are both open to stronger US-India relations.
Last month, Lugar told ambassador Lalit Mansingh that he desired to visit India as soon as possible.
According to Carbaugh, he was apparently enthusiastic about exploring ways to deepen the bilateral relationship, including in the areas of defence, commerce, high technology, trade, space and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Lugar has had long-time concern with nuclear proliferation but his interest in India and Pakistan now is in better accounting and security of nuclear materials in these two countries, Carbough said. Bureau Report