The U.S. – India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership has been an ongoing platform with continued discussions on strategic and trade issues. The joint statement for the recently concluded third U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue can be viewed HERE. With this backdrop, AMCHAM organized a briefing on November 4th with Deputy Chief of Mission Edgard Kagan, U.S. Embassy, for an update on the future of the bilateral relationship. Ms. Ranjana Khanna, Director General CEO, AMCHAM welcomed participants and Mr. Salil Gupte, Chairman, AMCHAM and President, Boeing India, highlighted that the U.S.- India relationship would continue to strengthen. He mentioned some of the defense and security cooperation and the people to people connections that bolster ties between both countries.

 

Deputy Chief of Mission Kagan gave an overview of the outcomes of the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue emphasizing the progress in the relationship over the last 5 years. He talked about security being the overarching driver of the dialogue, agreements that have been signed, trade and economic challenges due to the pandemic. DCM Kagan shared about the importance and commitment of both countries to a free and open Indo-Pacific as well as the strides in defense cooperation.

The Q&A portion of the session included discussion on a gamut of topics including agriculture, cyber security, data challenges, the Indo-Pacific Business Summit, free trade agreement status, COVID cooperation, pharma, medical devices and space collaboration. Ms. Kaku Nakhate, Vice Chairperson, AMCHAM and President & Country Head (India), Bank of America N.A. helped to moderate the discussion and thanked DCM Kagan for the candid insights. AMCHAM’s National Executive Board Members, Mr. William L. Blair, Vice President and Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin India, Mr. Gulshan Kumar Sachdev, Managing Director, Quaker Chemical India Limited and Ms. Aileen Nandi, Minister for Commercial Affairs, U.S. Embassy, attended the session.