New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left for Washington on Saturday for talks with President Barack Obama, saying India attaches "high priority" to its relations with the US and a "sustained and dynamic" partnership between them is essential to meet major global challenges like terrorism, climate change and economic slowdown.
Singh, who will meet Obama on Tuesday, said India's relations with the US is today characterized by "greater maturity, depth and convergence of interests".
In a departure statement, Singh said he looked forward tobuilding upon this momentum during the nine-day visit that would also take him to Trinidad and Tobago for theCommonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
"The last several years have witnessed a transformationin India-US relations", he said.
Singh, the first foreign leader to be hosted as State Guest by the 10-month-old Obama Administration, has a hectic schedule during his four-day stay in Washington.
His engagements include addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and business leaders of the two countries besides receiving some top US officials.
"A sustained and dynamic India-US partnership is essential if we are to meet the global challenges of the 21century", Singh said.
The Prime Minister said he looked forward to exchanging views with Obama on major global threats and challenges such as international terrorism, climate change, global economic slowdown, the Doha Round of trade negotiations and nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
