U.S. & India: From Estranged Democracies to Natural Allies

India’s May 1998 nuclear tests served as a wake-up call to the U.S. strategic community—India was rising. Progress in the relationship, both in terms of economic and security ties, can sometimes feel slow. But over these last twenty years, the U.S. has risen to become India’s most important economic and strategic partner—and India is becoming increasingly important to American interests, too. On May 14, we will explore those early days as the U.S. and India planted the seeds for a more robust partnership. Our expert speakers will assess progress, and offer thoughts as to where the relationship may head next, and how policymakers can bring it to life.

Opening Session (1:00-2:00 p.m.)

• Dr. John Hamre, President & CEO, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Mr. Richard Rossow, Senior Adviser & Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Ambassador Navtej Sarna of India
• Ambassador Frank Wisner, Counsel, Squire Patton Boggs

Panel 1 The Acceleration of U.S.-India Economic Ties (2:00-3:30 p.m.)

• Moderator: Mr. Richard Rossow, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Ambassador Susan Esserman, Chair- International Practice, Steptoe & Johnson
• Hononorable Arun Kumar, Chairman & CEO, KPMG India
• Mr. Sadanand Dhume, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Panel 2 The Dawn and Trajectory of our Security Partnership (3:30-5:00 p.m.)

• Moderator: Dr. Kathleen Hicks, Senior Vice President, Henry A. Kissinger Chair, and Director of the International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Mr. Thomas Breckenridge, Vice President of Global Sales, The Boeing Company
• Honorable Raymond Vickery, Counsel, Hogan Lovells
• Mr. Vikram Singh, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress