In an effort to strengthen America’s relationship with the world’s most populous democracy, Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) will announce on Thursday the creation of the Senate India Caucus.

Cornyn and Clinton, who will co-chair the caucus, will be joined by Indian Ambassador Lalit Mansingh and other Indo-American leaders at the Capitol announcement. The goals of the caucus, which already has 31 members, include increasing trade with India and improving security against global terrorism. Other members include Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas).

[IMGCAP(1)] “This bipartisan caucus will encourage further advances between the U.S. and India, one of our greatest allies and a nation that shares the deepest convictions of democratic freedom,” Cornyn said in a statement. “As the world’s two largest democracies, it is particularly important that we maintain a strong strategic relationship.

The ceremony will begin at 10:15 a.m. in room S-219 on Thursday.

Anniversary Observance. At today’s 10th annual Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide, a bipartisan group of legislators will call on the government of Turkey to end its denial of atrocities committed against its Christian Armenian population between 1915 and 1923.

Sixty-five Senators and House Members are scheduled to attend the 6 p.m. event in the Cannon Caucus Room. They will be joined by survivors of the genocide; author Peter Balakian, who wrote “The Burning Tigris”; and Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, a Canadian member of parliament and lead sponsor of that nation’s recently adopted Armenian genocide resolution.

— John McArdle