Senators air rights concerns about India ahead of PM's visit

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. lawmakers said Tuesday they are encouraged by growing defense cooperation with India but remain concerned about religious intolerance and slavery in the South Asian nation ahead of a visit by its prime minister.

There is strong support among U.S. lawmakers for deeper relations with India, but plenty of grumbles about limited progress in boosting trade and investment and New Delhi's reluctance to accept U.S. scrutiny of its human rights record.

India's position is that the commission, which provides policy advice to Congress and the U.S. executive, does not have the legal standing to pass judgment on conditions in the country.