Congressman, Howard L Berman, who had the Bush Administration and the Indian Government sweat for the passage of the Indo-US nuclear deal last year, said that India is a dear friend of the United States.

Under the Obama Administration, Berman hoped the Indo-US relationship would further strengthen.

“We have exciting opportunity in the case of India-US relationship, to build on what was started by President (Bill) Clinton and achieved by President (George) Bush. I know, this relationship is going to move forward (under Obama),” he said.

Addressing a group of Indian American leaders who had gathered at Capitol Hill for a day-long lobbying effort before the US lawmakers on Mumbai terrorist attack, Berman said: “What India has done and stood for decades since its independence is remarkable and recognised by so many Americans. India is our dear friend and our ally.”

The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives termed the Mumbai terror attack, as a frontal attack on democracy and pluralism.

“This was not just a terrorist attack about a border dispute on Kashmir. This was a frontal assault on values of democracy and pluralism and modernity ¿ not just (against) India but all countries, has to be recognised,” Berman said.

“We have to do everything we can to resist that kind of effort,” Berman said supporting the efforts made by the Indian American community in this regard.