As he prepares to meet President Barack Obama in Washington, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday that a "sustained and dynamic" Indo-US partnership is essential to meet major global challenges like international terrorism, climate change and economic slowdown.

Singh, who will hold wide-ranging talks with Obama on Tuesday, said India attaches "high priority" to its relations with the US which is today characterized by "greater maturity, depth and convergence of interests".

In a departure statement, Singh said he looked forward to building upon this momentum during the nine-day visit that would also take him to Trinidad and Tobago for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

"The last several years have witnessed a transformation in 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 21 century", 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.

The situation in Afghanistan and other regional issues are also expected to figure during his talks with the US leadership, the Prime Minister said.

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