The US-Asia Institute is proud to launch the INAUGURAL
India 101 Congressional Briefing Series!
India and South Asia have immense importance on the world stage- from the region’s fast growing economy and population to its diverse cultures and peoples. Fostering greater understanding and stronger ties with India and its neighbors is critical in today’s interconnected world. The US-Asia Institute is proud to expand its work to South Asia, beginning with this India 101 Congressional Briefing Series that aims to educate and engage policymakers on the US-India relationship.
India 101 2021 offers a 6-part series throughout July and September to provide unique insight into the key issues of interest and concern in the US-India relationship. Featuring speakers with firsthand knowledge of India — its culture, its people, and its policies — the 2021 series focuses on six key areas of interest to U.S. policymakers and their advisors. Designed to increase awareness and understanding, the one-hour sessions offer staff the opportunity to hear from and interact with diverse experts from on and off the Hill. The 2021 India 101 Congressional Briefing Series will connect Congressional staff with academic, government, and business leaders with direct experience and expertise on U.S. policy toward India and Indian domestic actions.
If you are a Congressional staffer interested in participating in these exclusive briefings on the U.S.-India relationship, please email india101@usasiainstitute.org to receive log in details for these sessions. If you missed a session and would like to view a recording, please visit our India 101 password protected page and request the password from the email listed above.
This series is open exclusively to Congressional staff. Staffers who attend 3 out of the 6 sessions will receive a Professional Development Certificate for their participation.
UPCOMING SESSIONS
India 101 Session 6 | Date TBD
VIP Keynote: The Current State of the U.S.-India Relationship & Role for Congress
Speakers: High Ranking Diplomat from the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC
PREVIOUS SESSIONS
Session 1 | Thursday, July 15 | 1:00 - 2:00 pm EDT Understanding India: Its Past, Its Political System, and Its Leaders
In the first session of the inaugural India 101 Congressional Briefing Series, Ron Somers, CEO of India First LLC and Javade Chaudhri, Partner at Jones Day and Vice Chair of the US-Asia Institute, Joined USAI for a discussion on India’s strategic and economic importance to the United States. Ron Somers opened the session by outlining India’s strategic geographic location as a beacon of successful democracy in South Asia, and emphasized India’s shared values and security interests with the United States. He then explained the state of various economic sectors in India, including energy, retail, manufacturing, telecoms, IT, and healthcare, and identified potential US investment opportunities for each sector. Mr. Somers’ comments were followed by a question-and-answer session moderated by Mr. Chaudhri, which touched on the political aspects of the US-India relationship, including perceptions of Prime Minister Modi, the India-Pakistan relationship, and the India-China relationship.
Session 2 | Thursday, July 22 | 1:00 - 2:00 pm EDT
US-India Economic & Trade Relationship: Challenges and Opportunities
In the second session of the inaugural India 101 Congressional Briefing Series, Rick Rossow, Senior Adviser at CSIS and Senior Director at McLarty Associates, Dr. Jagdish Sheth, Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Business at Emory University Goizueta Business School and Founder & Chairman at the India China and America (ICA) Institute, and Joe Fawkner, Senior Advisor for Rep. Carol D. Miller (WV-3) and USAI Board Member, joined USAI for a conversation on the US-India economic and trade relationship. Mr. Rossow first gave an overview of Indian economic policy and US-India economic ties, speaking on Indian economic development since 1991, Modi’s policy priorities, recent business and strategic tensions between the US and India, and the impact of various Indian economic policies on US businesses operating in the country. Dr. Sheth then overviewed the global economic playing field and its implications for international relations (particularly between India, China, and the US) and explained the global importance of the Indian economy and the imperative of US economic engagement with the country. In the Q&A portion of this event, the panelists discussed India’s sources of leverage over China, the growth of the US and India’s middle classes, India’s track record on signing trade deals, and the role India plays in US-China competition.
Session 3 | Thursday, July 29 | 1:00 - 2:00 pm EDT Advancing U.S.-India Energy Trade Relationship: Powering India’s Energy Ambitions
In the third session of the inaugural India 101 Congressional Briefing Series, Nolty Theriot, Senior Vice President of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Kartikeya Singh, Director of Programmes at SED Fund, and Matthew Donnellan, Chief of Staff for Rep. Carol Miller, joined the US-Asia Institute for a discussion on the US-India energy trade relationship and India's energy ambitions. Nolty began by touching on the essential role of natural gas and the efficacy of collaborative work between US companies and the government. Kartikeya then focused his remarks on the completion of India’s national power grid and the path to guaranteeing power for the country's inhabitants. In the Q&A portion of the session, the panelists discussed the obstacles for obtaining clean energy and resources, such as tariffs and land conflict, and affirmed the importance of US-India energy cooperation to continuing economic growth in both nations.
Session 4 | Monday, September 13 | 1:00 - 2:00 pm EDT Securing South Asia: Evolution of U.S.-India Security & Defense Relationship
In the fourth session of the inaugural India 101 Congressional Briefing Series, Ambassador Richard Verma, Executive Vice President of Global Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Mastercard, and Arzan Tarapore, a research scholar at the Asia Pacific Research Center of Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, joined moderator Javade Chaudri, of Counsel at Jones Day and Vice Chairman of the US-Asia Institute, for a discussion on the evolving security and defense relationship between India and the United States. Ambassor Verma began the panel discussion by examining why India matters to US policy and outlining how the two previous decades have seen a shift toward a cooperative security relationship after years of distrust in the 20th Century. Dr. Tarapore added his view that the key driver of the US-India defense relationship is their shared competition with China and explained the opportunities and risks that arise from that. In the Q & A portion of this session, both speakers discussed their assessments of India’s military capacity and ability to participate in regional security efforts, including the Quad and Five Eyes, with the US and other like-minded nations.
Session 5 | Monday, September 20 | 1:00 - 2:00 pm EDT Building New Resilient Supply Chains: India’s Integration into Global Value Chains
In the fifth session of the inaugural India 101 Congressional Briefing Series, Jai Motwane, Head of Global Trade Policy at Apple, Inc. and Catherine Robinson, Director of International Government Affairs and Global Trade Policy at Pfizer, joined Joe Fawkner, Senior Policy Advisor for Congresswoman Carol Miller (WV-3), and Trustee for the US-Asia Institute, for a discussion on India’s role in critical global supply chains and evaluating US-India trade ties in the critical pharmaceutical and technology sectors. Jai discussed the major role that India can play in global supply chains due to its inherent advantages (e.g. large and skilled workforce), but also analyzed India’s limitations because of its restrictive trade policies that hamper its global impact. Catherine dove further into the challenges posed by COVID-19 and explained that openness is the key to naviggating these challenges, however India’s tendency to favor more semi-isolationist positions has complicated its supply chain structure during the pandemic. In the Q and A portion, both speakers further discussed what the United States can do to help India’s position in the global supply chain and potential individuals within the Indian government whom Congressional Members can engage with to further effective trade policies and strengthen US-India relations. We would like to thank Jasjit Singh and the US-India Business Council (USIBC) for their help with organizing this session.
