Washington, Feb 28 (IANS): Citing India's "increasingly important role on the global stage", the co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans have stressed the importance of US-India relations to the Obama administration.

"As India plays an increasingly important role on the global stage, US-India relations have never been more relevant," Joe Crowley, Democratic co-chair of the caucus told Obama administration's point persons for India in Washington and New Delhi Wednesday in a briefing on the future of US-India relations.

"Today's briefing provided invaluable insight to members of the India Caucus," he said during the briefing with Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Robert Blake, and US Ambassador to India, Nancy Powell, according to a media release from the caucus.

"Today's briefing confirmed that there are vast opportunities that our strong US-India partnership will provide for the common priorities of our two countries," said Republican co-chair Peter Roskam.

"I'm glad we have these open lines of communication that will help to make our relationship effective and work to keep our commitment to trade and investment, global security and democracy," he added

The briefing was attended by 12 members of the Caucus as well as senior-level staff.

In January, Crowley and Roskam were named co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans for the 113th Congress.

A bi-partisan group formed in 1993, the Caucus is an influential voice on issues pertaining to relations between the US and India, as well as the growing Indian-American community in the US