Published Month: March
Thursday, March 27, 2025 | New York
USISPF in collaboration with Indian Consulate in New York hosted Shri Ramesh Narain Parbat, Special Secretary and Member (Legislation), CBDT, for a discussion on key tax and investment issues impacting the U.S.-India corridor.
Thursday, March 26, 2025 | Washington, D.C.
USISPF in conjunction with the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans hosted a briefing on the U.S.-India strategic partnership and strengthening the relationship across defense, trade, and technology.
The event took place on Wednesday, March 26th, on Capitol Hill with 11 Members of Congress, including Co-Chairs Congressmen Rich McCormick (GA-07) and Ro Khanna (CA-17); Co Vice-Chair Marc Veasey (TX-33) as well as, Jim Costa (CA-21), and Glenn Grothman, (WI-6), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8), Ed Case (HI-1), Congresswoman Kim Schrier (WA-8), and Congresswoman Janelle Bynum, (OR-5), Congressmen Derek Tran (CA-45), and Herb Conaway (NJ-3). Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the Ambassador of India to the United States also joined the briefing.
Monday, March 24, 2025 | New Delhi
USISPF hosted a closed-door roundtable discussion on the Future of U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation with the civil nuclear delegation from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The delegation was led by Aleshia Duncan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cooperation, Office of Nuclear Energy at U.S. Department of Energy
Both countries remain committed to the U.S.-India Energy Security Partnership, especially in areas of civil nuclear energy.
This roundtable explored potential areas of collaboration and avenues to strengthen and secure supply chains for civil nuclear energy, including cooperation on developing small modular reactors (SMRs)/advanced reactor technology – a key focus area as outlined in the joint-statement.
Friday, March 21, 2025 | New Delhi
Our first panel discussion, ‘Immunization for a Healthy Workforce and Healthy Families’, witnessed an engaging conversation on the importance of including vaccination as one of employers’ prime offerings for the well-being of employees and their families.
Other aspects touched on missing data on the Indian population and various enablers and barriers to implementation.
The session was moderated by Dr. Ratna Devi, with a stellar panel of experts:
- Col. Dr. Manu Chopra
- DR. AMIT KUMAR GUPTA
- Dr. Shubnum Singh
- Dr. Suneela Garg
- Prof. Parvaiz Koul
The second panel discussion, titled ‘Life Course Immunization and Enabling Ecosystem: Policy, Practice and Implementation’, touched on existing policies, practices, and strategies to effectively implement new guidelines.
The discussion identified critical gaps and touched on unified policy and guidelines, vaccine hesitancy, and improving sufficient awareness about the benefits of the life course immunization approach.
This session was moderated by Dr. V K Sashindran and Dr Kavita Singh with a panel featuring:
- Dr Rakesh Kakkar
- Dr. Arindam Ray, Gates Foundation
- Dr. Naveen R Thacker,
- Dr. Subramanian Swaminathan
- Dr. Agam Vora
- Dr. Madhur Verma
- Dr. JAYESH LELE
- Dr. Tiny Nair
- Dr Satyabrata Routray
- Dr Madhu Gupta
Our final session was on ‘PSUs: Ongoing Practices and Future Plans’, and the session focused on steps taken by various PSUs to implement life course immunization guidelines in their respective organizations, and mapping out the future roadmap to ensure sufficient adoption by employees.
Dr. Raj Shankar Ghosh moderated the session, which included:
- Dr Sandeep Sharma
- Dr Rajeev Gambhir
- Dr. Kamal Purshottam
- Dr. Sushma Trivedi
- Rajiv Kumar Jain
- Dr. Kamla Fartyal
- Dr. Rajat Kumar Saha
Thursday, March 20, 2025 | New Delhi
USISPF’s India Managing Director Nivedita Mehra participated in a panel discussion titled “Navigating the U.S. Market: Opportunities, Challenges, & Future Prospects for Indian Tech” at nasscom’s Global Confluence 2025.
The theme of the conference was “Forging Global Alliances for Tech Leadership”.
Nivedita touched on U.S.-India TRUST and the Indus Innovation Frameworks and the opportunities for Indian companies and how Indian MSMEs can leverage these initiatives.
Other speakers at the conference included Minister Piyush Goyal, the Hon. Minister of Commerce and Industry, Rajesh Agrawal IAS, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, and Rajesh Nambiar, President, nasscom.
Thursday, March 20, 2025 | New Delhi
USISPF was honored to host Secretary S Krishnan, Secretary – Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India for a roundtable discussion on the “Evolving Digital Landscape.”
The session brought together senior government officials and industry leaders to exchange insights on the implementation of the Draft DPDP Rules, 2025, and broader regulatory developments impacting cross-border data flows, digital innovation, and economic cooperation.
The discussion focused on key themes such as data governance, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the role of U.S.-India collaboration in shaping a resilient digital ecosystem. It provided a platform for candid exchanges under Chatham House rules, ensuring meaningful industry participation in shaping a balanced and forward-looking regulatory framework.
The session was chaired by S Krishnan, Secretary – Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India and was attended by Ms. Amy Schedlbauer, Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs, U.S. Embassy India, and members from industry.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 | New Delhi
Key speakers discussed strengthening economic ties and regional cooperation, with contributions from American, Indian, Israeli, and Italian officials.
The event included opening remarks, special addresses, and an interactive discussion, all held under Chatham House rules, followed by a networking lunch.
Remarks from James Carafano, Senior Counselor to the President and E.W.
Richardson Fellow, at The Heritage Foundation, Amb. Jawed Ashraf, Former Ambassador of India to France and Monaco and Former High Commissioner of India to Singapore, Ambassador Rtn. Anil Trigunayat (IFS Retd), Former Ambassador of India to Jordan, Libya, and Malta, Eden Bar Tal, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Amb. Reuven Azar. Ambassador of Israel to India, Amb. Naor Gilon, former Israeli Ambassador to India, and Kaush Arha, President, Free and Open, Indo-Pacific Forum.
Riveting insights on strengthening collaboration across industries in new economic corridors.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 | New Delhi
USISPF was delighted to host a closed-door interaction with Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission.
Discussion with members on India’s economic outlook, growth sectors, and closer U.S.-India commercial relations.
Monday, March 17, 2025 | New Delhi
USISPF hosted a high-level discussion on U.S.-India COMPACT and U.S.-India TRUST on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue 2025.
We were delighted to host General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Advisor to the Board of Directors at USISPF for a special signing of his new novel – The Cantonment Conspiracy.
Monday, March 17, 2025 | New Delhi
The focus was on deep defense cooperation, especially on Al, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. The event brought together a distinguished lineup of senior officials, industry leaders, and strategic experts to deliberate on enhancing U.S.-India collaboration in critical and emerging tech domains.
The discussions underscored the imperative of fostering deeper cooperation in Al-driven defense capabilities, cybersecurity frameworks, and next-generation military applications to fortify strategic alliances in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
The event was attended by esteemed speakers and guests from both USG and GOI.
We were delighted to host Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander, United States Indo-Pacific Command, Ricky Gill, Special Assistant to President Trump and Senior Director for South & Central Asian Affairs, National Security Council, The White House; Lt. Gen. M U Nair, National Cyber Security Coordinator, National Security Council Secretariat, Jorgan K. Andrews, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy India, Ravi Dammu, Secretary (ER), Randhir Jaiswal.
We were also joined by Gen. Manoj Naravane, William Blair, Vince Logsdon, Dr. Vivek Lall, Vikram Rai, and Cdr. Jasbir Solanki (Retd), alongside friends from the Japanese and Australian Embassies.
Additionally, the discussions on Artificial Intelligence and National Security discussion were enriched by insights from Alexander Gray CEO, of American Global Strategies; Former Deputy Assistant to President Trump and Chief of Staff of the White House NSC, Amb. Arun K. Singh, Advisor to USISPF Board, Former Ambassador of India to the U.S. and Senior Counsellor, The Cohen Group and partners from Google, Microsoft, and Lockheed Martin.
Saturday, March 8, 2025 | New Delhi
USISPF participated in the 2nd International Patient Summit (IPS II 2025) jointly organised by DakshamA Health and the PAIR Academy. Dr Bhuvnesh Shrivastava, Director – Healthcare, shared his insights during the panel discussion on ‘Climate Change and Communicable Diseases: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective’ and outlined the importance of life-course immunization, and it’s critical role in preventing new and emerging infections.
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 | Santa Monica, CA.
USISPF Chairman John Chambers, Founder and CEO of JC2 Ventures and USISPF President and CEO, Dr. Mukesh Aghi, at The Montgomery Summit 2025 in Santa Monica, CA.
Dr. Aghi presented Mr. John Chambers with the Technology Diplomacy Award, which recognizes Mr. Chambers’ contribution to promoting India’s tech ecosystem, supporting Indian startups, and advocating for the larger U.S.-India partnership.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 | New Delhi
USISPF was delighted to host a closed-door discussion with Shri Nagaraj Naidu, Additional Secretary (Americas – USA & Canada), Additional Secretary (Americas- USA & Canada), Ministry of External Affairs, at our New Delhi office.
The session provided a readout on Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the U.S. and his meeting with President Donald J. Trump. Shri Naidu also briefed participants on U.S.- India relations and the way forward, outlining key priorities for strengthening bilateral ties.
We thank Nagaraj Naidu Kakanurand our members for their participation and valuable contributions. We look forward to collaborating on key deliverables and action items to further advance the U.S.- India partnership.
Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 | New Delhi
India has 18 percent of the world’s population, but only 4 percent of its water resources, making it among the most water-stressed in the world.
USTDA, in partnership with USISPF, hosted a panel discussion on “Innovative Technologies for Sustainable Water Management” in New Delhi. The event brought together policymakers and senior executives, providing a platform to tackle India’s water challenges by exchanging best practices, implementing technological solutions, and promoting sustainable water usage policies.
Discussions centered on leveraging cutting-edge technologies, harnessing digital capabilities, and optimizing data to minimize water consumption across industries. Moderated by Ankita Menon from Sankala Foundation, the panel featured: Mr. Shashi Shekhar, Former Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Mr. Deepak Kachru, Head of Sales & Business Development, Aquatech Systems Mr. Rajiv Gupta, Director, Coca-Cola Foundation.
Rachana Panda, Country Group Head, Communication and Public Affairs & Sustainability (South Asia), Bayer We extend our gratitude to all participants and members for joining us in this enlightening session.
Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 | New Delhi
Delving deeper into the transformative power of technology in combating climate change! We were delighted to host an engaging discussion in partnership with
USTDA, exploring the most promising AI technologies and innovations driving sustainability, paving the way for a greener and more resilient future. During the session, we had the honor of engaging with senior industry leaders including: Mr. Amal Sinha, Director & Group CEO of BSES Delhi Mr. Satish Ingavale, Country Head of John Crane India; M K Biswas, Chief General Manager – Business Development at GAIL (India) Limited Bharat Newalkar, Chief General Manager (R&D) at CRDC, Bharat Petroleum Mr. Vivek Sonny Abraham, Regional Director of External Strategy – India & South Asia at Salesforce Mr. Rupam Raja, Chief Commercial Officer of Fluence India. The panel was moderated by Ms. Gauri Jauhar, Executive Director, in Energy Transition and Clean Tech Global Consulting Team, S&P Global We thank all participants and members of the audience for contributing to an insightful and engaging discussion!
Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 | New Delhi
USISPF and USTDA hosted the “U.S.-India Forum on Decarbonizing Pathways” in New Delhi. Conversations were part of USISPF and USTDA Climate Technologies Actions Group (CTAG). Keynote remarks from the U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti at U.S. Embassy India .
Amb. Garcetti added: “As climate and clean energy leaders, the United States and India share a common vision to deploy clean energy at scale during this critical decade. We are working to reduce and mitigate emissions, and we’re collaborating with private sector partners to work towards economy-wide decarbonization, in ways that make sense for our different national circumstances. Together, we can serve as a catalyst in our global efforts.”
Thank you to Mehnaz Ansari at USTDA, members from industry and government officials.
March 21, 2024 | Washington, D.C.
USISPF facilitated a roundtable with Dr. Sunita Satyapal, Director, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, and Hydrogen Program Coordinator at U.S. Department of Energy. Conversation on global hydrogen strategies aimed at understanding various steps taken by countries to develop a robust clean hydrogen ecosystem.
Thank you to our members for the conversations on methods toward achieving emission reduction targets and supporting long-term energy security.
March 21, 2024 | Virtual
USISPF hosted a virtual briefing on the Draft Digital Competition Bill, 2024. The briefing provided an overview of the Draft Bill and a session with our members.
Thank you to our knowledge partners Yaman Verma, and Rohan Arora fromShardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co for sharing insights.
March 20, 2024 | San Francisco
Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2024 Inauguration of the first India Pavilion with USISPF Member WinZo and launch of India Gaming Market Report. March 20, 2024 | San Francisco
USISPF President and CEO Dr. Mukesh Aghi is in California for the launch of the ‘India Gaming Market Report’ and helped inaugurate the first-ever India Pavilion at the GDC 2024 courtesy WinZO
At the launch was Paavan Nanda, Co-Founder WinZO, CG Dr. K Srikar Reddy and Deputy CG, Mr. Rakesh Adlakha from India in SF.
Dr. Aghi later participated in a fireside chat with CG, Dr. K Srikar Reddy at India in SF on India’s gaming opportunity and touched on how India’s digital economy, young demographic dividend, and the power of storytelling are potent forces for the growth of the gaming industry in India.
March 20, 2024 | Houston
USISPF Roundtable: US-India Energy & Climate Partnership and Emerging Opportunities. March 20, 2024 | Houston
On the sidelines of #ceraweek2024, USISPF hosted a Roundtable with Amb. Geoffrey Pyatt, Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources and CG DC Manjunath, Indian Consulate in Houston
“U.S. – India Energy & Climate Partnership and Emerging Opportunities”
Thank you to Dr. Kenneth Vincent, Director at Office of Asian Affairs, Department of Energy and Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons at Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. Thank you to our board members, members, and the Indian Consulate in Houston for hosting the session.
March 15, 2024 | Virtual
The dialogue centered on key changes and potential implications of the new code, emphasizing its role in advancing the industry and enhancing patient care standards. We’re thankful for the valuable insights shared by industry leaders and PLR Chambers for their in-depth analysis.
March 13, 2024 | Washington, D.C.
The discussion was led by Karan Singh Chandhiok, Partner and Head of Competition and Disputes Practice at Chandiok & Mahajan. Conversations on key developments, including the introduction of the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2023, recently issued regulations for commitments, settlements, and determination of turnover, and the upcoming Digital Competition Bill.
Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | Washington, D.C.
Grateful for insights from Siddharth Iyer, Director for South Asia, Office of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (Policy) at Department of Defense, Ryan Holliway, Political-Military Officer at Department of State, Pradeep S. Mehta at CUTS Internationaland USISPF’s Vikram J. Singh and Meaghan Byrne for moderating the discussion.
March 11, 2024 | New Delhi
The discussion was attended by USISPF member companies across an eclectic mix of sectors from pharma to agriculture to defense to tech to media and entertainment sectors. Ms. Vidal touched on updates pertaining to the ongoing US-India IP dialogue, and recent developments in government-level engagement to streamline and strengthen the IP regime in India.
March 8, 2024 | Mumbai
The focus was on emphasizing sustainable practices, reducing carbon footprint, and integrating green principles across the urban development landscape in India. In addition to the roundtable, USISPF was proud to support site visits for the US India Commerce delegation, across MumbaiMetro3 and Mumbai, BMC Thank you to Ashwini Bhide and Iqbal Singh Chahal
March 7, 2024 | New Delhi
Discussions around key areas of collaboration in renewable energy, grid modernization, carbon credits, and supply chain sustainability. The power sector in India plays a pivotal role in the country’s economic development and sustainability goals. As the electricity demand continues to grow, there is a pressing need to address various challenges, embrace renewable energy sources, and foster international collaboration to meet the evolving energy landscape. Thank you to our members and to Shri. Ajay Tewari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr. Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairman CEA India, and Shri Abhay Bakre, DG, BEE.
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | New Delhi
USISPF hosted Mr. George Oliver, Chairman and CEO at Johnson Controls and Board Member at USISPF in New Delhi. Productive discussion on strengthening U.S.-India commercial relations with board members, members, and advisors to the board.
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | Santa Monica
Conversation hosted by USISPF Board Member Sumant Mandal of March Capital on India’s Growing Partnership with the U.S. Discussions on how the world’s most robust democracies can consolidate their partnership to enhance peace, prosperity, and economic security in the Indo-Pacific across investments in critical and emerging technology and clean energy partnerships.
March 5, 2024 | New Delhi
The mission was led by Mr. Arun Venkataraman, Assistant Secretary of U.S. Commerce Dept. for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. Thank you to all our board members, members, and friends of USISPF for a wonderful evening in New Delhi.
March 30, 2023 | New Delhi
March 28, 2023 | New Delhi
March 27, 2023 | New Delhi
March 23, 2023 | New Delhi
March 23, 2023 | Chennai
March 15, 2023 | New Delhi
March 8, 2023 | New Delhi
March 8, 2023 | Virtual
March 7, 2023 | Washington, D.C.
March 6, 2023 | New Delhi
March 2, 2023 | New Delhi
March 2, 2023 | Virtual
March 16, 2021 | Virtual
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad held its summit in a virtual format featuring for the first time, four heads of state – US President Biden, India’s Prime Minister Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
The four quad nations are the major players in the dynamic and high-growth Indo-Pacific region. While not a formal military alliance like NATO, the Quad framework is often regarded as a potential counterweight to growing Chinese influence. With the current health crisis, there is convergence on financing agreements to support an increase in manufacturing capacity for coronavirus vaccines in India. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted that, “President Biden has made this one of his earliest multilateral engagements speaks to the importance we place on close cooperation with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific.”
A recently held discussion by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum on the Quad’s immediate priorities featuring government and private sector leaders discussed a comprehensive cybersecurity response as a cornerstone of the quadrilateral framework. It is necessary to highlight the digital linkages of the region that contains little more than half of the world’s internet users, burgeoning ecommerce sectors, and hyperlocal service economies. The pandemic has also exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, with many countries exploring possibilities of reshoring and incentivizing local firms to manufacture closer to home.
Here are a few takeaways from the discussion focusing on the path to building coordination and cooperation in the highly digitized Indo-Pacific realm that is booming with diverse suppliers:
While discussants pointed out the need for a speedy adoption of 5G technology, it was also noted that 5G has emerged as a critical flashpoint in global geopolitics today. Despite 5G’s superior ability to support advanced technologies and critical infrastructures of countries, suppliers/vendors of 5G can potentially dominate a given country’s data economy.
India’s many technological advances from the last few decades which can be used for the betterment of the people. India and the US share an interest in the Indo-Pacific which is the most challenging regional area in geopolitics at the moment, presenting challenges to democracy.
India’s new cybersecurity strategy has an automatic intelligence sharing arrangement from Mumbai to California. Greater technology and intelligence sharing among Quad nations will allow for developing trusted supply chains, solar and wind energy development, and trusted sources for products and services. India’s concept of ORAN or Open RAN network is a great business opportunity for 5G solutions.
With the high intensity of cybersecurity attacks against nation states and individuals, the US-India technology partnership must be centered around the need to share data and further expand the collaboration among quad nations. The reason cybersecurity prevention is defensive rather than proactive is because it is far cheaper to attack than to defend. Moreover, the liability of a product in cybersecurity lies with the buyer not seller. Therefore, the need of the hour lies in creation of best practices around cybersecurity. The partnership between the two countries should be focused on sharing information in a transparent manner.
Capacity building in the cyber domain both on the products and services side by engaging the private sector and academia should be a key priority.
India is a mobile-first market, and to truly draw upon the benefits of the telecom network, will need to standardize 5G solutions to meet international industry standards, accelerate innovation, technology adoption, and build more robust security frameworks. Ultimately, deeper penetration of 5G and robust supply chain ecosystem can help India deliver quality and timely healthcare solutions to the remotest parts of the country.
Additional Readings:
The Digital Indo-Pacific: Regional Connectivity and Resilience
March 16, 2021 | Virtual
On March 10, USISPF and Nishith Desai Associates co-hosted a virtual webinar on decoding India’s recently formulated National Education Policy, entry of foreign universities, online learning regulations, degree accreditation process, and deepening US-India collaboration in higher education. Susan Ritchie, VP of trade and technology policy at the USISPF forum, introduced India’s new education policy and the opportunity it creates for U.S. educational interests. “We see India’s new education policy as strategically significant to our members as they plan to expand their workforce in India in the coming years. Collaboration between U.S. higher educational institutions and Indian academia is an important element to that goal,” Ritchie stated.
Experts from Nishith Desai Associates stressed upon increasing importance and reliance on technology in India and its relation to significant reforms in higher education. They presented an overview of the regulatory framework of higher education in India, distinguishing between both regulated and structured frameworks. They distinguished between the regulated framework as bachelors/undergrad, master’s, and diploma courses and structured framework that includes certification courses not leading to the award of a degree or diploma, vocational training, tutoring services, online education programs, and pathways/credit transfers. They explained how the structured framework is growing at an exponential pace by stating, “When there is lack of regulation, there is much faster growth in innovation and the way services are being delivered.”
Nishith Desai Associates further listed the different types of higher education institutes and how there is now a new set of recent regulations for technical regulations on online learning, which is important to monitor, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discussed regulations for Foreign Educational Institutions, which include:
- FEI’s can enter into collaborations/twinning program with Indian institutes.
- The two regulators, UGC and AICTE have their own set of regulations to govern the collaborations/twinning arrangements.
- In addition to these regulators, there are professional councils as well regulating higher education.
With that being said, NDA mentioned the opportunities found within the online educational sector, particularly with:
- Structure 1: the online degree program. India does have regulations pertaining to online programs, but all of these regulations are on Indian higher education institutions. NDA explained considerations, which include the validity of degree, direct fee collection, and taxes. They also introduced softer issues, which include advertising, promises/claims made, and consumer issues.
- Structure 2: the platform model is described as a foreign university to U.S. platform to Indian student structure. Considerations include arrangements between US universities, platforms, and Indian students, fee collection, and taxes.
- Structure 3: the online + on-campus program is described as a U.S. university to both Indian university and student model or U.S. university to Indian university to student model. Considerations include arrangements between U.S. universities and Indian institutes, fee collection, and taxes. Softer issues include advertising, constituting a campus in India, and consumer issues.
