After a gap of three years, India and the US will hold a commercial dialogue to discuss issues related to trade and investment to strengthen the economic ties between the two countries.

“It is proposed to re-launch the dialogue with a strategic outlook with focus on supply chain resiliency and diversification and new emerging areas, after a gap of three years,” the commerce ministry said in a statement.

US secretary of commerce Gina Raimondo will be visiting here from 7-10 March for the dialogue and the India-US CEO Forum meet.

Raimondo will also meet public and private sector leaders to “unlock new trade and investment opportunities’’, according to a statement issued by the US Department of Commerce.

“The secretary will convey the importance that the Biden administration places on US-India relations and emphasise the significant opportunity to deepen commercial ties between the two countries,” the statement said.

The visit assumes added importance as the US is looking to lessen its economic dependence on China amid the ongoing geo-political tensions and intensify ties with longterm partners such as India. The last India-USA Commercial Dialogue was held in February 2019. Since then, due to pandemic and other factors it could not be held.

“During the visit, India-USA Commercial Dialogue and CEO Forum will be held on March 10 to discuss co-operation in various sectors that could unlock new trade and investment opportunities between the two countries,” the statement said.

The commercial dialogue is a co-operative undertaking encompassing regular government-to-government meetings to be held in conjunction with private sector meetings, with an aim to facilitate trade and maximise investment opportunities across a broad range of economic sectors.

Earlier, India-US CEO Forum was soft-launched by Indian commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and the US secretary of commerce on November 9, 2022.