Indo-U.S. Strategic And Commercial Dialogue To Be Held In Sept

WASHINGTON: The first India-U.S. Strategic and Commercial Dialogue would be held here in September, a top American diplomat announced while highlighting that it would give the two countries a new platform to build on past results and work towards future progress.

From the U.S. side, the dialogue, the announcement for which was made in New Delhi in January during the India visit of U.S. President Barack Obama, would be co-chaired by Secretary of State John Kerry and the Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.

The Indian delegation to the first of its kind dialogue, the dates for which have not been announced yet, would be led by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

"Our first Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, which Secretary Kerry and Secretary Pritzker will co-host in Washington this September, will showcase these efforts (of the last 10 years) and give us a new platform to build on past results and work toward future progress," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal told a Washington audience.

Biswal was speaking at an event organised jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a U.S.-based think-tank on the 10th anniversary of India U.S. Civilian Nuclear Deal.

"Over the next ten years, we will work toward greater convergence on trade. In 2005, bilateral trade was less than$ 30 billion -- today it is over $100 billion, and we want to get that to $500 billion," she said.

"But we first must reduce investment barriers and streamline commercial regulations to open new markets and facilitate new technologies. We must invest in each other's economic successes just as we are invested in each other's strategic successes," Biswal said.

Over the next ten years, the United Stat es will continueto bring international pressure on terrorist groups around the world who target Indians and Americans alike, she said.

"Fourteen years after the Indian parliament was attacked by terrorists, the Indian government will help to inaugurate the new Afghan Parliament building -– a gift from India to the people of Afghanistan, and a testament to the resilience of freedom and democracy in the face of terror and brutality," she added.

Biswal said over the next ten years, the two countries will build upon their Joint Vision for the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region to promote regional development, a rules-based order and trade that is free and fair.

"In September, our first U.S.-Japan-India ministerial will move us closer to this goal as we strengthen our cooperation on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and economic connectivity," she said.

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