Washington ( CNN ) -- President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed Tuesday to team up and tackle a checklist of economic , nuclear , security and environmental challenges . Obama welcomed the Indian leader to the White House on Tuesday in what is the first state visit of his presidency . The two men had what they called a productive sit-down meeting before briefing reporters . `` I believe that the relationship between the United States and India will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century '' and will reflect the `` strategic dialogue '' between the countries , Obama said , calling India `` the world 's largest multiethnic democracy '' with a fast-growing economy . `` We 're the world 's two largest democracies . We have a range of shared values and ideals . We 're both entrepreneurial societies . We 're both multiethnic societies . We are societies that believe in human rights and core freedoms that are enshrined in our founding documents , '' said Obama , who also stressed the dynamic role of the growing Indian-American community . Singh 's visit comes amid his country 's continued tense relationship with nuclear rival Pakistan , regional concerns over the Afghan war and the burgeoning trade relationship between the U.S. and India . It also follows a year after the deadly terror attack on the Indian city of Mumbai . Obama said he and Singh `` agreed to strengthen the economic recovery and expand trade and investment '' to create jobs from both nations . `` Indian investment in America is creating and sustaining jobs across the United States , and the United States is India 's largest trading and investment partner , '' Obama said . Obama said he reaffirmed his administration 's commitment to implement a civil nuclear agreement with India , which Singh signed with former President George W. Bush . Both countries are attempting to put the finishing touches on the deal , which would provide for the development of Indian nuclear power for peaceful uses . Obama also supported Singh 's backing for nuclear nonproliferation efforts . `` I look forward to ... India 's participation as a full partner in our shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons , '' he said . Ahead of next month 's Copenhagen climate change framework meeting , Obama said he and Singh settled on a `` comprehensive '' agreement that would `` cover all the issues under negotiation '' and would build on what the president called the `` progress '' of his recent trip to China . Obama said he and the Indian prime minister have agreed to pursue new efforts , such as a clean energy initiative , more affordable energy , a green partnership to reduce poverty and an effort to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels . `` We resolved to take significant national mitigation actions that will strengthen the world 's ability to combat climate change . We agreed to stand by these commitments with full transparency , through appropriate processes , as to their implementation , '' he said . As for security , he and Singh decided to work closer on information-sharing to prevent the kind of militant attack that happened in Mumbai last year , and they discussed Obama 's Afghan policy review , which is expected to lead to an announcement on troop levels next week . Obama said the pair agreed to widen education exchanges in science and technology and ties between universities and colleges . He said both countries want researchers to work together to reduce hunger and fight disease . Singh also touched on the same topics and invited Obama and his family to visit India , an invitation the U.S. leader accepted . Noting the global economic crisis illustrates `` the fact that our prosperity is interlinked , '' Singh reiterated Obama 's remarks on tightening trade and investment ties . `` We admire the leadership that President Obama has provided to stimulate and guide the [ Group of 20 ] process that is now fully in place , '' he said . He also endorsed collaboration in education , health and agriculture . `` We will deepen our ongoing cooperation in frontier areas of science and technology , nuclear power and space , '' Singh said , also noting the two agreed on the early and `` full implementation of our civil nuclear cooperation agreement . '' As for climate change , he said he and Obama `` have agreed on the need for a substantive and comprehensive outcome which would cover mitigation , adaptation , finance and technology . '' Singh also brought up another issue : that the U.S.-India `` strategic partnership should facilitate transfer of high technologies to India . '' `` The lifting of U.S. export controls on high-technology exports to India will open vast opportunities for joint research and development efforts , '' he said . `` It will enable U.S. industry to benefit from the rapid economic and technological transformation that is now under way in our country . '' On Afghanistan , Singh pointed out the importance of helping the war-wracked country emerge `` as a modern state . '' `` The forces of terrorism in our region pose a grave threat to the entire civilized world and have to be defeated . President Obama and I have decided to strengthen our cooperation in the area of counterterrorism . '' On Tuesday evening , Singh and his wife , Gursharan Kaur , will attend a state dinner in a tent on the South Lawn , with Oscar-winning singer-actress Jennifer Hudson scheduled to entertain the black-tie crowd . Singh 's visit -- his second to Washington after a meeting with Bush -- will last five days . He arrived in the United States on Sunday . He attended a luncheon Monday hosted by the U.S. India Business Council and U.S. Chamber of Commerce , and he addressed the Council on Foreign Relations . On Wednesday , Singh will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates and later will attend a reception for the Indian community hosted by Meera Shankar , the Indian ambassador to the U.S. Singh on Thursday will fly to Port of Spain , Trinidad and Tobago , to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting . The 77-year-old Singh is a Cambridge- and Oxford-educated economist who was governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1982-1985 and the nation 's finance minister from 1991-1996 . A member of the Congress Party , he is serving a second five-year term as prime minister . CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report .
NEW : Afghanistan , climate change , economy , nuclear civil deal on world leaders ' agenda . Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is on first official visit of his country . Singh will attend White House state dinner . President Obama accepts invitation to visit India .