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WASHINGTON: A top US senator has said that America's relationship with India is critically important and it has made considerable strides in recent years.Senator Bob Menendez , Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that "We need to continue growing this relationship, one that will extend long beyond the tenures of leadership in either country.""Our relationship with India is critically important and has made considerable strides in recent years," said Menendez ahead of his India trip as part of a Congressional delegation.He said this during a roundtable with Indian-American community leaders from across New Jersey to discuss his commitment to fostering the US-India relationship, as well as his upcoming Congressional Delegation trip to the country.The roundtable was attended by elected officials, medical professionals, entrepreneurs, civic activists and religious leaders."Our trade relationship has grown, our defence relationship has grown and our people to people ties are as strong as ever," Menendez said.On his trip, Menendez plans to hold a series of meetings with civil society, security and government officials in the country.He will celebrate Gandhi's 150th birthday, commemorate the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, and meet with clean energy partners to discuss how to combat the growing climate change crisis.New Jersey is home to nearly 300,000 Indian-Americans, making it the third highest state with an Indian-American population, just after California and New York. Indian-Americans also make up the largest group of foreign-born residents in the state.