( CNN ) -- From the moment I stepped onto the tarmac in New Delhi two weeks ago , I was struck yet again by the sheer breadth of India 's diversity -- ethnic , religious , cultural , geographic . It is what makes India a remarkable country , home to the world 's largest democracy . Earlier this year , some 550 million citizens went to the polls to cast their vote , in the largest election the world has ever seen . As Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Washington , D.C. , for the first time as the leader of India , he will bring with him the aspirations and concerns of 1.2 billion people . The task before him and President Obama will be to reaffirm the strategic partnership between our two nations -- a partnership that relies not only on government ties but also on steadily expanding relations between our business communities , civil society groups and cultural institutions . The U.S. and India form what President Obama has called the `` defining partnership of the 21st century . '' But this partnership can only reach its full potential if it is given the kind of attention and commitment it deserves . So what tone will President Obama set when he first sits down with the new Prime Minister ? I will venture to suggest a few key points : . For the sake of peace and prosperity not only in Asia but also globally , India and the U.S. must work together across a range of economic , political , environmental , and security issues . We must recognize , however , that we will not always agree on every issue . That is the nature of a deep and close bilateral relationship . Indeed , over the past year , there have been bouts of distrust , uncertainty and perceived drift , but I am convinced that both leaders have every intention of establishing a positive tone during Mr. Modi 's visit . Over the past decade , the two countries have made rapid strides towards strengthening the relationship without headline-grabbing developments ( the exception being the 2008 civil nuclear cooperation agreement ) . This is not a bad thing . Significant progress has resulted from `` small '' steps in people-to-people exchanges , scientific collaboration , and educational exchanges that have accreted over time . For a first meeting between leaders of two great , and often noisy , democracies , it will be important for both sides to engage in the mutual setting of expectations . Mr. Modi comes to office with a set of ambitious plans for India In an era of considerable turmoil in various regions of the world , India can be a major force for stability . Democratic states with a well-established rule of law and adherence to international norms , as President Obama recently invoked before the U.N. General Assembly , are the best guarantors of regional stability and prosperity . President Obama 's rebalance to Asia does not come at the expense of trans-Atlantic relations ( more important than ever in light of current events on the eastern border of NATO ) . Similarly , we should welcome the Prime Minister 's engagement with traditional U.S. allies in Asia , including South Korea , Japan and Australia , and emerging partners such as Vietnam , as part of his `` look east and act east '' policy . As President Obama underscored this past week at the U.N. , the world faces a stark threat in ISIL and must come together to counter extremism wherever it takes root . Mr. Modi 's visit to the 9/11 Memorial on Saturday reflects the shared suffering of our two countries at the hands of terrorists . Since the devastating Mumbai attacks of 2008 , our cooperation against terror has grown exponentially . Washington should continue to expand its information sharing and other counterterrorism exchanges with India . The President should also encourage the negotiation of a new Defense Framework Agreement with India , to replace one that is expiring in 2015 . Our defense cooperation is increasingly robust , featuring major naval exercises , military exchanges and high-level consultations . These should continue , as should the trend of Washington permitting higher levels of sensitive technology to be released to Indian defense forces . Domestically , Mr. Modi 's biggest challenge is returning India to the level of economic growth that is necessary to provide opportunity for the nation 's fast-growing , youthful workforce . An important part of this effort will require a focus on improving the trade and investment climate , for example , by following through on India 's commitments to the World Trade Organization . He has been very clear that he wants to expand the Indian economy by improving trade numbers and attracting more foreign investment . And , with his `` Make in India '' campaign officially launched just days before his U.S. trip , he has already signaled his commitment to turn India into a global manufacturing hub -- including by addressing the daunting regulatory challenges that investors , both foreign and domestic , face . This is an encouraging sign . India and the United States share the objective to build a strong manufacturing base and create jobs . This should be an area of cooperation between our countries , not a point of conflict . Both India and the United States must commit to rebuilding mutual trust and focus on moving our partnership forward . The world has too much to gain for these two great democracies to do otherwise .
Albright : Visit of India PM Modi a chance for he and U.S. to reaffirm trust . They must tackle political , environmental , economic , security issues ; wo n't always agree . She says Obama can be force for stability amid regional turmoil ; shows solidarity against terror . Madeleine Albright : India , India should cooperate , build partnership for economic growth .