India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives in Washington for a three day state visit. His first stop: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where he spoke of the growing relationship between the United States and India forged by closer economic ties.

[Manmohan Singh, Indian Prime Minister]: 
“If that economic relationship intensifies both business to business and people to people contacts, promoting a deeper and better understanding between countries."

Singh's visit comes at a critical time for the White House as President Barack Obama continues to weigh U.S. options in Afghanistan.

Neighboring Pakistan has been more of a focus in the Afghan conflict, but India has offered Afghanistan some $1.2 billion in development aid — a move that has not helped to ease tensions between Delhi and Islamabad.

[Michael O'Hanlon, Brookings Institution]:
"India has to be careful here because of course Pakistan sees any kind of involvement by India in Afghanistan as essentially an indirect threat."

U.S. Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, appearing at the State Department, tried to ease those concerns.

[Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan]:
"We seek to improve our relations with Pakistan, we seek to improve our relations with China, we seek to improve our relations with India. This is not a zero sum game."

Singh will meet with Obama at the White House on Tuesday.