Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce inaugural U.S.-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue (S&CD) will be held in Washington, D.C., on September 22, following an opening reception on September 21.

Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker will be joined by their respective Indian co-chairs, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman, along with members of the U.S. delegation and their Indian counterparts.

The U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue has been the primary forum to advance shared objectives in regional security, economic cooperation, defense trade and climate challenges since 2009. In 2015 President Obama and Prime Minister Modi elevated the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue to the Strategic and Commercial Dialogue to reflect the United States’ and India’s shared priorities of generating economic growth, creating jobs, improving the investment climate, and strengthening the middle class in both countries.

The inaugural S&CD will be an opportunity for the United States and India to further strengthen their partnership to meet the challenges of the coming decades, from climate change to regional security.