Mr Biden is the first US vice-president to visit India in three decades.

 

He is due to hold talks with PM Manmohan Singh in Delhi before heading to the financial capital, Mumbai, to meet business leaders and deliver a speech on the economy. 

 

Trade between two countries has grown from $9bn in 1995 to nearly $100bn this year.

 

But there are areas of concern - the US wants India to allow greater access to American firms, and a landmark¹ nuclear deal has not delivered the lucrative²（赚钱的） contracts it promised to.

 

Correspondents say India is concerned over next year's withdrawal³ of US troops from Afghanistan.

 

It has spent $2bn in aid to Afghanistan and fears the return of Taliban after the US withdrawal.

 

"We strongly support the role India has played in Afghanistan, leveraging⁴ its economic strength to improve Afghanistan's economy," Mr Biden told The Times of India in an interview.

 

He said India's aid "will help to ensure our common goal of a stable and prosperous future for the Afghan people".

 

During his landmark visit to India in November 2010, President Barack Obama had said Washington and Delhi's relationship would be one of the century's defining partnerships⁵.

 

"India is a natural ally of the US but... relations require greasing occasionally because insecurities have crept in, especially on the Indian side," Subhash Agrawal of the Delhi-based think tank India Focus told AFP news agency.

 

"The vice-president's visit is going to clear the air and create confidence on both sides and help rebuild the momentum⁶ that was lost after Mr Obama's visit."

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