Sushma Swaraj arrives in Washington for Indo-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue

External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj has arrived here to take part in the Indo-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.

Described as the most comprehensive mechanism for discussion and deliberation on the specifics of bilateral agenda of cooperation in different fields between India and the United States, this first ministerial-level India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue (S and CD) will be held here on September 22.

India and the United States launched the ministerial-level strategic dialogue in July 2009.

Its first meeting was held in Washington D C in June 2010, followed by successive rounds in New Delhi (July 2011), Washington D C (June 2012) and New Delhi (June 2013 and July 2014).

The decision to elevate the India-US Strategic Dialogue into a Strategic and Commercial Dialogue was taken during the visit of U S President Barack Obama to India in January 2015.

The delegation accompanying Swaraj includes Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal. The Indian delegation will also have senior officials from various government ministries and departments.

Secretary of State John Kerry will be leading the American delegation at the talks. He will be assisted by Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. They will be accompanied by a high-level inter-agency delegation.

During the S and CD, several bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest would be discussed between the two sides. The S and 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 and technology and space; health, education and human development; third country engagement; economy and finance; and trade and investment fields.

The following bilateral dialogue mechanisms have been held on the sidelines of the S and CD so far: (1) Official-level Sub Group Meeting of India-US Energy Dialogue (September 17-18, 2015) and the Secretary-level India-US Health Dialogue (September 17-18, 2015).

The Ministerial-level India-US Energy Dialogue, the India-US CEO Forum and the Secretary-level India-US Joint Working Group on Climate Change will be held today (September 21, 2015 U.S.