US Secretary of State John Kerry attended an investment conference in India on Sunday to boost bilateral business and trade ties ahead of President Barack Obama's visit to the South Asian country later this month, dpa reported. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank head Jim Yong Kim also joined top executives of Indian and global companies at the summit organized by the western state of Gujarat in regional capital Gandhinagar. Gujarat is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kerry, leading a 80-member business delegation, will meet with Indian executives and visit a Ford Motor assembly plant in the state Sunday. He is due to meet Modi on Monday and discuss plans for Obama's visit to New Delhi. The US president will be the chief guest at India's Republic Day ceremony on January 26. The State Department said Kerry's visit will focus on the economic agenda and strengthening trade and investment ties.