More information about India is available on the India Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.

U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS

President Obama has called India one of the defining partnerships of the 21^st century, one which will be vital to U.S. strategic interests in Asia-Pacific and across the globe. Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama all visited India, underscoring the increasing importance of the bilateral relationship. Our relationship is rooted in common values, including the rule of law, respect for diversity, and democratic government. We have a shared interest in promoting global security, stability, and economic prosperity through trade, investment, and connectivity. The United States and India have a common interest in the free flow of global trade and commerce, including through the vital sea lanes of the Indian Ocean.

The U.S. supports India's critical role as a leader in maintaining regional stability. Security ties are reflected in growing bilateral defense and counterterrorism cooperation. The United States and India also are developing their defense partnership through military sales and joint research, co-production and co-development efforts.

The U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, launched in 2009, was expanded in 2015 to become the U.S.-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. It provides opportunities to strengthen collaboration in areas including energy, climate change, trade, education, and counterterrorism. The inaugural meeting was held in September 2015.

The strength of people to people linkages between the United States and India has come to define the indispensable relationship between our two countries. The increased cooperation of state and local officials to create ties has enhanced engagement in education. Additionally, state to state and city to city engagements have created new partnerships in business and the private sector and enhance our robust government to government engagement.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The United States is one of India's largest trade and investment partners. U.S.- India bilateral trade in goods and services and the stock of Indian FDI in the United States have increased over the last decade, supporting thousands of U.S. jobs. Bilateral trade between our two countries is up since we began our Strategic Dialogue.

The United States and India are continuing efforts to deepen the economic relationship, improve investor confidence, and support economic growth in both countries. India's market-oriented economic reforms have included an increasingly liberal foreign investment regime in many sectors.

On energy cooperation, the United States and India are committed to working collaboratively in bilateral and multilateral fora to help ensure mutual energy security, combat global climate change, and support the development of low-carbon economies that will create opportunities and fuel job growth in both countries. The two countries consult regularly on the future of global oil and gas markets, expanding sustainable energy access to support jobs and economic growth in both countries, collaborating in research and technology, and increasing U.S. exports of clean energy technology.

U.S. exports to India include diamonds and gold, aircraft, machinery, and optic and medical instruments. U.S. imports from India include diamonds, pharmaceutical products, oil, agricultural products, organic chemicals, and textile articles. U.S. direct investment in India is led by the professional, scientific, technical services, manufacturing finance/insurance, and information sectors. India direct investment in the U.S. is primarily concentrated in the professional, scientific, and technical services, and banking sectors.

India's Membership in International Organizations

India and the United States share membership in a variety of international organizations, including the United Nations, G-20, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. The United States supports a reformed UN Security Council that includes India as a permanent member. India is an ASEAN dialogue partner, an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development partner under its Enhanced Engagement program, and an observer to the Organization of American States. India is also a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), of which the United States is a dialogue partner.

Bilateral Representation

Principal U.S. embassy officials are listed on the embassy web site and in the Department's Key Officers List.

India maintains an embassy in the United States at 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-939-7000).

More information about India is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

Department of State India Country Page
Department of State Key Officers List
CIA World Factbook India Page
U.S. Embassy: India
USAID India Page
CDC India Page
History of U.S. Relations With India
Human Rights Reports
International Religious Freedom Reports
Trafficking in Persons Reports
Narcotics Control Reports
Investment Climate Statements
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Countries Page
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics
Export.gov International Offices Page
Library of Congress Country Studies
Travel and Business Information