Secretary Kerry’s visit to lay groundwork for Modi’s September visit to America

Washington, D.C, 29 July, 2014

Secretary Kerry will travel to New Delhi for the 5th U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, which he will co-chair with Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on July 31. Secretary Kerry will be accompanied by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, who will lead discussions to strengthen economic ties between the U.S. and India. Other members of the interagency, including Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman, Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary Francis Taylor, and NASA Associate Administrator Michael O’Brien, are also scheduled to join the trip.

In addition to holding the Strategic Dialogue, Secretary Kerry will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first Cabinet-level meeting with a U.S. official since the inauguration of the new Indian Government. Discussion will cover the full range of bilateral issues, including expanding bilateral trade, tackling climate change, improving India’s energy security through cooperation in clean energy and energy access, and expanding our already robust people-to-people ties. Secretary Kerry’s visit underscores the importance of the U.S.-India partnership, and will lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Modi’s September visit to the United States.