India and the United States will hold the 4th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi today.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will co-chair the dialogue with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. Mr Kerry arrived in New Delhi last evening, accompanied by a high level delegation, on a three-day visit to India.

This is the first high level political interaction with New Delhi in the second term of the Obama Presidency and is expected to push forward the India-US relationship.

Indian Ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao has said that India and the US will set the pace and direction for stronger bilateral ties at the strategic dialogue.

In an exclusive interview to All India Radio, Mrs. Rao said, besides security and defence, the strategic dialogue will also deliberate upon enhancing cooperation in counter-terrorism.

She said, Indo-US relations are people-centric and New Delhi is looking forward for cooperation in sectors like Health, Education, Science and Technology and peaceful use of outer space.

Mrs. Rao said the relations between the two countries also have regional and global dimensions and both sides will review the situation in Afghanistan and also in Asia-Pacific region.