<span style="color: #222222;">The US and India have announced the establishment of an annual Parliamentary Exchange to discuss issues of strategic importance to the bilateral relationship. The Parliamentary Exchange was announced as a part of the final joint statement of the India-US 22 Ministerial Dialogue. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar from Indian side and US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark T. Esper held this meeting in Washington recently. A press release said, the exchange is expected to begin next year. The initiative was spearheaded by Congressmen Brad Sherman and George Holding who are the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The release said, the Parliamentary Exchange will feature members of the India Caucus in the US and Indian parliamentarians travelling to each other's countries every other year to discuss issues of strategic importance to the bilateral relationship. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Congressman Sherman said, India and the US are united by more than common interests as they are also democracies with strong legislative branches that play a critical role in their countries' foreign policies. He said, with the two countries significantly strengthening their political, economic and security ties in recent decades, it's long past time to establish a stronger connection between their legislatures to propel this relationship even further.</span><br />