New Delhi, Oct 16 : US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William J Burns met External Affairs Minister S M Krishna here on Thursday and is reported to have discussed matters relating to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh''s visit to Washington next month.

Burns was accompanied by US Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer.

"The main purpose of the visit is to help prepare for Prime Minister Singh''s state visit to the White House next month. It is no accident that the Prime Minister''s visit will be the first state visit to Washington during the Obama administration. That reflects a high priority that President Obama and Secretary Clinton and the entire administration attach to our relationship with India," Burns said.

"We have a very rich agenda for cooperation and partnership between United States and India on a wide range of regional and global issues before us ranging from health to education to civil nuclear cooperation to defence to clean energy to climate change," he added.

"I remain very optimistic about the prospects for further progress in relations between our two countries in months and years ahead. I remain convinced that US-India partnership is one of the keys to global prosperity in 21 century," he said.

Burns also called on Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be the guest at President Barack Obama''s first State Dinner, to be held on November 24. (ANI)