Washington: In yet another sign of deepening relationship between India and the US, nearly one-fourth of American Senators, including some of the most powerful and influential ones, turned up for a reception hosted for Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar at Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
The rare reception for the Indian Ambassador was hosted by the Senate India Caucus, which was formed some five years ago and is the only country-specific caucus in the US Senate.
Coincidently, the reception was hosted at the same time when Obama administration was winding up its first US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
With nearly two dozen Senators from both the Republican and Democratic parties appearing for the reception, old timers at the Capitol said this is reflective of the growing ties between the two countries and the value been given to Indo-US relationship by lawmakers.
Senator Christopher Dodd, who has replaced Hillary Clinton as Co-Chair of Senate India Caucus from the Democratic, said India is a "good luck charm" for the United States Senate.
Noting that there are many challenging issues in the world, Dodd said that with the participation and cooperation of India and the United States "we can make a significant difference together". He said that there are so many vitally important matters where the two countries can play a very important role working together.
Observing that Senate-India caucus is the only country caucus, Senator John Cornyn, its Co-Chair from Republican side, said this signifies the relationship and the shared values of the people of India and the United States.
"India is the anchor of stability in Asia. In fact our countries are natural allies and partners, even though we may not always realise it," Cornyn told a packed room of audience comprising of influential Senators and eminent Indian-American, who had come from various parts of the country to be part of the momentous occasion.
Cornyn, who was instrumental in establishing the Senate India Caucus, said on Wednesday 37th Senator joined the group.
Several other Senators have expressed their interest to join the caucus.
"Truly honored" to be at the meeting hosted by the Senate India Caucus, Shankar in her impressive speech said the reception by Senators "in this sanctum sanctorum of democracy" is a tribute to India, to the Indian community in the US and to the warm and stronger ties between the two countries and above all the values that bind the two nations together.
"Our relationship is characterised as ties between the world's two largest democracies. I believe that in that description not merely because our two countries are democracies, but because our relationship draws so much of its strength and character from the support it has among the elected representatives of the people in both countries," the Ambassador said.