Biden to visit India next month: Kerry

New Delhi  :  US Vice President Joe Biden will visit India next month to keep up the momentum in bilateral ties, Secretary of State John Kerry said here Monday.

Addressing the media along with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid after the fourth round of India-US Strategic Dialogue here, Kerry said India and the US were “powerful economies” and were poised to “set a new standard for cooperation”.

He said the significant representation in his team was a reflection of “very important relations” between the two countries.

He said Biden will be coming to India late July.

Khurshid said they discussed key strategic issues, economic issues as well as regional security concerns.

He said the talks were characterised by convergence and candour.

“Secretary Kerry and I seem to have struck the right chemistry,” he said.

Kerry added that the two sides have discussed cooperation and procurement issues in defence, particularly co-production, apart from cooperation in agriculture and health sectors.

He said the US took up “impediments” to foreign investment with India and was reassured that steps will be taken to address concerns.

Referring to trade, Kerry said the two sides can do better.

He said he had invited Khurshid to the US and the dates of visit were being worked out.

India and the US held the fourth edition of the India-US Strategic Dialogue here Monday. It was co-chaired by Khurshid and Kerry.

Kerry, who arrived here Sunday on a three-day visit, has said he was keen to push forward implementation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal and for more defence co-production and co-development, besides cooperation in higher education and other issues.

The India-US Strategic Dialogue, inaugurated in 2009, is a forum to discuss the full range of US-India cooperation on bilateral and regional issues, reflecting the strong strategic partnership between the two countries.