Describing India as a true friend of the US, influential American Senator Chris Dodd has said he will discuss with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other top Indian leaders the bilateral relations and global economic crisis during his visit to the country next week. Dodd, the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, said in a statement in Washington that India is an important economic partner and has been a true friend to America for many years. Dodd, a Democrat, is also the Chairman of the powerful Senate Banking Committee, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a member of its subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs. He said, he is looking forward to visiting Delhi and Mumbai and meeting with officials to discuss current issues affecting both countries and how to further strengthen US-India relations. During his stay in New Delhi, Dodd is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Singh, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. In Mumbai, he would be meeting members of the Reserve Bank of India. The visit of the Senator comes in the aftermath of the first-ever Cabinet-level Indo-US Strategic Dialogue held in Washington early last month.