The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has unanimously approved President Barack Obama's nominee for ambassador to India.
Timothy Roemer's nomination now has to be confirmed by the full Senate.
During a confirmation hearing Tuesday, Roemer said that one of his
priorities will be supporting dialogue between India and Pakistan.
He also said that Washington should keep encouraging New Delhi and
Islamabad to talk, in case another Mumbai-type terrorist attack happens
in the future.
Roemer, a former member of the House of Representatives, served on the
"9/11 Commission" that investigated the 2001 terrorist attacks on the
United States.
Presently, he serves on a Congressional committee that evaluates policy on preventing nuclear proliferation.
Last year, more than 160 people were killed in the three-day Mumbai
siege. Pakistan has admitted the attack was planned, in part, on its
territory but denies India's assertion that Pakistani government agents
were involved.