"Secretary Lew welcomed Finance Minister Chidambaram's efforts to engage with US investors in Washington this week, and he encouraged the Indian government to continue to implement economic reforms that will further deepen our bilateral trade and investment relationship," the Department of Treasury said in a readout of the meeting.

Lew consulted with Chidambaram on economic conditions in India and the US, and on policy priorities for the July 19-20 meeting of G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors.

During the meeting, Lew welcomed bilateral anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) cooperation, as well as India's continued significant reduction of Iranian crude oil purchases.

Lew invited Chidambaram to the next US-India Economic and Financial Partnership meeting in Washington, this fall.

The meeting was held at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department where the two leaders attended the India-US CEOs Forum meeting. A day earlier, Chidambaram addressed the 38th annual Leadership Summit of the US India Business Council ( USIBC).

During his stay in Washington for the last four days, Chidambaram met a number of US lawmakers and a host of representatives and executives of the American businesses.

PTI