First ministerial of Indo-US S&CD in Washington on Sept 22

The first Ministerial of the India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue (S&CD) will be held in Washington on September 22 during which both sides will identify possible areas for future cooperation in key strategic areas of defence, security and energy.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will lead the inter-ministry delegation to the S&CD which will include Minister of Commerce & Industry Nirmala Sitharaman and Power Minister Piyush Goyal apart from senior officials from various ministries and departments.

The S&CD has been preceded by several official-level Sub Group Meetings including India-US Energy Dialogue, Secretary- level India-US Health Dialogue, an External Affairs Ministry release said.

There will also be ministerial India-US Energy Dialogue (September 21), India-US CEO Forum (September 21) and Secretary-level India-US Joint Working Group on Climate Change (September 21) which will be held on the sidelines of the S&CD.

"During the S&CD, several bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest would be discussed between the two sides.

"The S&CD is expected to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations between India and the US and also identify possible areas for future cooperation including in strategic, defence and security; energy and environment; science & technology & space; health, education and human development; third country engagement; economy and finance; and trade and investment fields," the release said.

The mechanism, which is the most comprehensive platform for discussion and deliberation on the specifics of bilateral agenda of cooperation in different fields, was agreed upon during the visit of US President Barack Obama to India in January.

The US delegation would include Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. They will be accompanied by a high-level inter-agency delegation.