Washington, DC

    Ambassador Nirupama Rao met Congressmen Mac Thornberry of Texas and Devin Nunes of California on November 1, 2011 on the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. 

    Congressman Thornberry, widely regarded for his expertise on national security issues, is the Vice Chairman of the U.S. House of Representative's Armed Services Committee and a senior Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.  

    Congressman Nunes comes from a Congressional district in California which has a large Indian community presence.  He is a Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as well as a Member of the House Ways and Means Committee. 

    During the meeting, Ambassador Rao exchanged views with Congressmen Thornberry and Nunes on bilateral relations and regional and global issue of common interest. They expressed happiness over the growing momentum in India-U.S. relations based on shared democratic values and converging interests.  Congressman Thornberry highlighted growing cooperation between the two countries in the field of counter-terrorism and expressed interest in enhancing engagement with India in the field of cyber-security. Congressman Nunes  referred to the rapidly growing trade and economic engagement  between India and the U.S.  and the role of the Indian diaspora in the U.S. in building an important cultural bridge between the two countries. 

    Ambassador Rao said she looked forward to an early visit by the two Congressmen to India.