"...I have a very difficult time understanding why the Government of India continues to pursue a pipeline with Iran and Pakistan at a time when other nations in the world are not just implementing UN approved sanctions, which is India’s historic position, but are going further by cutting off access to banking services and discouraging other economic interactions with Iran," Ackerman said at a Congressional hearing.
The senior Democrat, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Sub Committee on Middle East and South Asia and is due to visit India next week, said that Washington had some differences with New Delhi, the major one being India's relations with Iran.
"I want to be clear that I am not suggesting that India abandon its historically independent foreign policy, although I am sure there are those in India who will accuse me of just that.
"What I am suggesting is that India join the other nations who are doing more than just implementing UN sanctions in an effort to economically isolate Iran," he said at the subcommittee hearing in Washington on Wednesday titled 'More Than Just The 123 Agreement: The Future of US-Indo Relations.'
"It is an effort that I believe is fully consistent with India's historic support of multilateral institutions and cooperation," Ackerman, who has been a Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, added.
"I hope that India's officials will hear and understand the US view of Iran: that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional hegemony is a serious threat posed to international peace and stability in the Middle East and the vital national security interests of the United States," the lawmaker said.
"I believe Indian officials understand the US perspective on Iran and I know that India shares US opposition to Iran possessing nuclear weapons," Ackerman said.
"Their (India's) courageous IAEA votes demonstrate that," Ackerman said at the hearing, referring to India's vote against Iran at the UN's atomic watchdog in 2005.