India, US to hold strategic dialogue in New Delhi

India and the United States will hold the 4th strategic dialogue in New Delhi today.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will co-chair the dialogue with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. Kerry arrived here last evening, accompanied by a high level delegation, on a three-day visit to India.

The visiting dignitary will also meet Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Vikram Kumar Doraiswami, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs said, this is the first high-political interaction in the second term of the Obama presidency.

"So, it is part of the process of taking forward the India-US relationship which currently is one of our more intense and more in-depth partnerships as it covers interaction across most of the spheres of government work," he added.

Bilateral trade, defence and security cooperation will top the agenda. Cooperation in energy and higher education will also figure prominently during the talks.

India will seek from the US information on the opening of a Taliban office in Qatar besides putting across its concerns about the H1B and L category visas that has raised concerns among Indian industry, especially the IT sector.