AMCHAM India organized a defense delegation to Washington DC led by AMCHAM’s Chairman, Mr. Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India & South Asia along with Captain Chad Gagnon, Honorary USG Chair – Defense Committee, AMCHAM and Chief, Office of Defense Cooperation, U.S. Embassy, Mr. Hugh Carroll, VP of Corporate & Government Affairs, Fortinet, Mr. Matt Milas, President, Defense & Space, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, Mr. Ryan Rajan, Government & Regulatory Affairs Executive, IBM, Mr. Mark J. Webber, Vice President, International, Global Programs & Policy, Lockheed Martin Government Affairs and Ms. Erum Jilani, Director Asia Pacific, Raytheon Technologies (RTX), from February 18^th – 20^th.

The main purpose of the delegation was to inform and sensitize U.S. government on defense related challenges impacting the U.S.-India relationship post the meeting with President Trump and Prime Minister Modi in DC. The delegation interacted with many of the important players in the strategic defense partnership and other key decision-makers.

The main topics of discussions with government officials included:

• Administration’s focus on the trade deficit
• Foreign military sales (FMS)
• Specific equipment and platforms mentioned in the joint statement
• Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership in the 21st Century
• Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA)
• DTTI
• Boosting U.S. exports
• Differences in trade for defense vs. other sectors
• Opportunities that India presents for de-coupling from China
• Delicate balance of Make in India and America first
• Positive move of opening negotiations for a Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) agreement to better align procurement systems
• Minimizing global disruptions in the supply chain
• Technology Security and Foreign Disclosure (TSFD)
• Export controls
• ITAR
• TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology)
• How to leverage emerging technologies
• MRO opportunities
• Barriers to co-development
• Lengthy procurement processes
• Continued senior level political involvement in the U.S.-India relationship
• Offsets
• Harmonization of standards
• Capacity challenges
• How the economic side of bilateral relations should keep pace with the strategic side
• Collaboration opportunities in cyber security

On February 18^th the delegation met with Mr. Robert Garverick, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Mr. Brian Stimmler, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for India, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs and Mr. Aaron Schwoebel, Deputy Director, Office of Bilateral Trade. Next the delegation went to the Pentagon to meet with Dr. Andrew Byers, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia, U.S. Department of Defense, Mr. Jay Wise, Director, South Asia and Mr. Jonathan Mangrum, South Asia Policy Advisor, Office of the Secretary of Defense, IPSA-SSEA. In the afternoon, the delegation met with these representatives from The Heritage Foundation: Dr. Victoria Coates, Vice President, Foreign Policy and National Security, Mr. Jeff Smith, Director, Asian Studies Center, The Hon. Steve Yates, Senior Research Fellow, Asian Studies Center, Mr. Bryan Burack, Senior Policy Advisor, China and the Indo-Pacific, Asian Studies Center, Mr. Michael Cunningham, Research Fellow, Asian Studies Center, Mr. Andrew Harding, Research Assistant, Asian Studies Center and Mr. Robert Peters, Research Fellow, Allison Center for National Security. The delegation met with Mr. Michael J. Vaccaro, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense Trade Controls, Bureau of Political Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State and his colleagues Mr. Sho J. Morimoto, Chief of Sea, Land, and Air Systems Division, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (PM/DDTC) and Mr. Robert Thompson, RSAT Foreign Affairs Officer. The last meeting was with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and his staff.

On February 19^th, the delegation met with Ms. Laura Cressey, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Security, Bureau of Political Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State. The delegation met with Mr. Michael Urena, Professional Staff Member, Senate Armed Services Committee, Office of Senator Wicker (Chairman), Mr. Michael Noblet, Professional Staff Member, Senate Armed Services Committee, Office of Senator Jack Reed (Ranking Member), Mr. Paul Burdette, Senior Legislative and Policy Analyst, Indo-Pacific and Cyber/Tech, U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen (Ranking Member) and other professional staffers. Over lunch the delegation participated in a Chatham House Rule interaction with India experts from think tanks hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) which was moderated by Mr. Rick Rossow, Senior Adviser and Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics, CSIS. In the afternoon, there was a meeting with Mr. Ricky Gill, Senior Director for South and Central Asia, National Security Council and colleagues Mr. Seamas Whitesel, Director for South Asia Regional Affairs and Ms. Kristina Obecny. Next, the delegation met with the U.S. Department of Commerce officials Mr. Eric Longnecker, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Security, Bureau of Industry and Security, Ms. Katherine Reid, Director, SIES Defense Programs Division (DPD), BIS, Ms. Liz Abraham, Director, International Policy Office, Export Administration, BIS, Mr. Jeffrey Leitz, BIS and Mr. Erol Yesin, International Trade Specialist, Office of South Asia, ITA. The day concluded with a candid interaction with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) Co-Chair and Founder Senate India Caucus and Mr. Phil Breuder, Chief Counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Counsel for National Security Affairs.

On February 20^th, the delegation met with Mr. Robert Helfant, Assistant Director for International Operations, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Mr. Timothy Litvin, International Operations Directorate (IOPS), REX-INDOPACOM and Mr. David Appezzato, Navy Weapons Programs. Next, at the Marks Center, the delegation met with Mr. Michael Laychak, Director for the Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA), U.S. Department of Defense, Mr. Jon E. Chicky, Jr., Assistant Director, International Engagement, DTSA and Mr. Tyler Abercrombie, Regional Policy Advisor, South Asia and Central Asia. The day concluded with a meeting with Dr. Vic Ramdass, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, U.S. Department of Defense, Mr. Larry Burton, Chief of Staff, International & Industry Engagement, Mr. Jacob Finke, Program Analyst, Industry Engagement, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International and Industry Engagement, Mr. Carson Shurtz and Mr. Jon Anthony Longoria, Industry Engagement, Contract Support.

Defense Delegation 2025

1. Mr. Salil Gupte, Chairman, AMCHAM and President, Boeing India & South Asia
2. Captain Chad Gagnon, Honorary USG Chair – Defense Committee, AMCHAM and Chief, Office of Defense Cooperation, U.S. Embassy, New Delhi
3. Mr. Hugh Carroll, VP of Corporate & Government Affairs, Fortinet
4. Mr. Matt Milas, President, Defense & Space, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies
5. Mr. Ryan Rajan, Government & Regulatory Affairs Executive, IBM
6. Mr. Mark J. Webber, Vice President, International, Global Programs & Policy, Lockheed Martin Government Affairs
7. Ms. Erum Jilani, Director Asia Pacific, Raytheon Technologies (RTX)
8. Ms. Ranjana Khanna, Director General CEO, AMCHAM
9. Ms. Valerie Swope, Program Coordinator, AMCHAM