US Secretary of State John Kerry today met Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi.

The two leaders discussed issues of bilateral interest and global significance. Kerry also met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Kerry, who is on a three-day visit to India, will co-chair the fifth Indo-US Strategic dialogue with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj later today followed by delegation-level talks.

The focus areas for the Security Dialogue are security, energy, trade and investment, science and technology, human resources development and regional and international issues.

It is the first high-level political interaction between the two countries after a new government came to power in India.

The strategic dialogue is expected to lay the ground for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-awaited visit to the US later this year.

Secretary Kerry and Minister Swaraj are expected to explore new frontiers and initiatives to further promote bilateral relations.

The focus will be on enhancing convergence between the two countries in various areas on a wide canvas of partnership that the two largest democracies in the world enjoy.

Secretary Kerry will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow.