(VOVworld) -  India and the US began their first strategic and commercial dialogue in Washington on Tuesday to set the stage for India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to the US.

PM Narendra Modi with US President Barack Obama on the lawns of New Delhi's Hyderabad House in January 2015. (Press Trust of India)

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker held a series of talks on the same day. US Vice President Joe Biden said this is the right time to boost relations between India and the US and pledged their goal is to become India’s best friend.

In 2014, the two-way trade between India and the US reached 100 billion USD.