Chamber Hails Indian-American Support of Civilian Nuclear Deal

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Several Indian-American groups joined the United States Chamber of Commerce and its affiliated U.S.-India Business Council today to lobby for legislation permitting the United States to share civilian nuclear technology with India as a part of broader strategic partnership between the two nations.

"Today's initiative highlights the growing resolve among Indian-Americans to see Congress implement the civilian nuclear plan," said Lt. Gen. Dan Christman (Ret.), the Chamber's senior vice president for international affairs. "This deal is a cornerstone for a stronger U.S.-India strategic partnership and critical for aligning the world's two great democracies for the twenty-first century."

Prominent Indian-Americans and representatives from eight major Indian-American advocacy groups fanned out across the nation's capital today to encourage support for the civilian nuclear deal. The lobbying blitz was preceded by a briefing at Chamber headquarters that included Senator John Cornyn, Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, Ambassador Karl Inderfurth, Dr. Ashley Tellis of the Carnegie Institute for International Peace, and Mr. Rajat Gupta of McKinsey & Company.

More than 150 Indian-Americans participated in today's briefing at the Chamber, including leading entrepreneurs, hoteliers, lawyers, physicians, and venture capitalists. It was the first gathering of Indian-Americans in the nation's capital to lobby in support of the civilian nuclear initiative.

The Chamber is spearheading the Coalition for Partnership with India (CPI), a broad coalition of businesses, academic institutions, associations, think-tanks, and others who support a stronger strategic partnership with India.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

www.strategicpartnership.org

# # #

06–75