Washington says its partnership with India is important to long term South and Central Asia regional security and to US national interests in this vital sub-region. In a testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, the Commander of US Pacific Command, Admiral Robert F Willard, said India's leadership as the largest democracy, its rising economic power, and its influence across South Asia as well as its global influence attests to its pivotal role in shaping the regional security environment. He said US must continue to strengthen this relationship and must ensure the US-India relationship remains rooted in their extensive common interests of which the Afghanistan-Pakistan issue is only one.