On March 27, ORF America hosted staffers from the India Desk and Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State to discuss U.S.-India cooperation.
From February 23-26, Dhruva Jaishankar and Ammar Nainar visited Australia to launch their new report on Sharing the Burden: Preparing for Maritime Security Competition in the Indo-Pacific, which assesses the capabilities and posture of 14 maritime powers and describes what burden-sharing could look like in a more contested Indo-Pacific region.
The visit began with a roundtable at the Lowy Institute and a Quad Dialogue at the United States Studies Centre (USSC) in Sydney, where the discussions focused on the Quad’s future and its evolving agenda. Following their engagements in Sydney, they visited Canberra to brief policymakers and analysts at the Department of Defence; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and the Office of National Intelligence.
Key takeaways from the visit included:
The United States would benefit by clarifying the meaning of burden sharing - By burden sharing, should their partners and allies take up more responsibilities for their self-defense; or contribute to regional security; or support the United States in regional contingencies like Taiwan, the South China Sea, the Yellow Sea, or the Indian Ocean? Clarity here can help allies and partners respond more resolutely to U.S. calls for burden sharing as mentioned in its latest National Security and Defense Strategies.
The Quad’s agenda continues to progress at the working level - Despite the lack of leadership engagements, the Quad — comprising of India, Japan, Australia and the United States — has met regularly since January 2025 either through its working groups or the conduct of field trainings and tabletop exercises. The Quad’s agenda has also been streamlined to focus on maritime security, economic security, humanitarian assistance, and emerging technologies. It continues to be useful to its member countries either as a mechanism for regional coordination or as a tool to gain leverage vis-à-vis China.
India and Australia are consolidating their defense and security ties with a greater focus on interoperability, training, and information sharing - Since 2020, newer aspects of cooperation include agreements in submarine rescue and air-to-air refueling, setting up of joint staff talks, participation in each other’s multilateral exercises, cross-posting officer cadets at each other’s training academies, and a roadmap for maritime security cooperation.
On February 14, ORF America, in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation and the Ministry of External Affairs of India, hosted a lunch on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference. The discussion, “Stability Under Stress: The New Demands of Statecraft”, focused on how capable powers align strategy, capital, and responsibility to sustain resilience, manage shocks, and shape a cooperative global future.
Speakers:
H.E. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, India
H.E. Anwar Bin Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to His Highness the President of the UAE, United Arab Emirates
H.E. Carl Bildt, Former Prime Minister of Sweden; Member of the Advisory Council, Munich Security Conference, Berlin; Member of the Global Advisory Board, Observer Research Foundation
H.E. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India
Dr. Meghan O'Sullivan, Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge
Moderator: Dr. Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India
On January 15, Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America), along with the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) and the Embassy of India, Washington DC co-organized a discussion at the U.S. Senate on U.S.-India strategic cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) and the forthcoming AI Impact Summit in India.
Keynote Remarks
Namgya C. Khampa, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Washington DC
Expert Panel Discussion on U.S.-India AI Cooperation
Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America (moderator)
Chantal Lakatos, Managing Director for Global Government Affairs, Lam Research
Jeffrey D. Bean, Program Manager, Technology Policy, ORF America
Trisha Ray, Associate Director and Resident Fellow, GeoTech Center, Atlantic Council
Joe Wang, Vice President for Global Affairs, Special Competitive Studies Project
Discussants stressed India's bet on the promise of AI for the next generation of disruptive technologies, its deployment of digital public infrastructure at population scale, India's growing AI market (expected to rise to $130 billion), it being the second-largest hub of generative AI startups, and it being home to a fast-growing AI talent pool. India's focus is on how to use AI to empower people through balancing both innovation and responsible use and competition and safety.
The Summit itself revolves around three themes (People, Planet, and Progress), and involves seven working groups negotiating a Summit statement. This will be the first Summit of its kind in the Global South, a part of the world that has historically been marginalized in standard setting and global AI policy. It intends to shift the focus beyond only AI safety to impact and use cases.
Discussants also focused on bilateral cooperation, including U.S.-India cooperation in combating the weaponization of supply chains and building resilience. India is already the second largest user base for most American AI applications. To this end, companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Open AI, and Google are all investing further in data centers and markets in India, despite ongoing trade frictions between the United States and India.
To advance cooperation further, a recent dialogue organized by SCSP and ORF America led to recommendations for further cooperation on AI applications, infrastructure, talent, and policies. These included steps to strengthen cybersecurity, leverage DPI, and improve defense applications; cooperation on semiconductors, mid-life GPUs, and capital deployment for data centers and connectivity; coordination on talent certification and apprenticeships; and alignment on standards, export controls, and intellectual property.
This event was an official pre-summit event for the India AI Impact Summit.
On December 16, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and ORF America hosted its 2025 Annual Dinner with partners, friends, and leaders from the public and private sectors in Menlo Park, California.
Every year, the ORF America Annual Dinner brings together high-profile leaders from the public and private sector to discuss contemporary global governance issues impacting the current world order. The 2025 edition reflected on the past year’s pivotal moments as global leaders tackled shifting geopolitics, eroding old orders, and emerging power centers, and explored what lies ahead in 2026.
Speakers:
Stephen Harper, Former Prime Minister Canada
Tadashi Maeda, Chairman of the Board, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
Marise Payne, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Australia
Marietje Schaake, International Policy Director, Stanford University
Moderator: Samir Saran, President, ORF
On December 16, Carnegie India, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), and ORF America convened a closed-door roundtable with international policymakers, technology leaders, and experts to shape India's approach to the February 2026 AI Impact Summit.
The discussion centered on eight priority themes for the Summit: use cases, scale, Global South inclusion, collaboration, open-source sustainability, model assurance, AI sovereignty, and data governance. Participants emphasized that India should position the Summit with clear focus rather than attempting to address all AI issues comprehensively. Suggested focal areas included capacity building, access to computing infrastructure, use case deployment in healthcare and education, and democratizing AI safety tools.
Critical tensions emerged around several issues. While open-source models are valued, participants expressed concern about a widening performance gap with proprietary models that could leave Global South countries technologically disadvantaged. Data governance sparked debate between those advocating for monetization frameworks and others warning that overly restrictive approaches create 'local islands' cutting countries off AI benefits. The question of model assurance, guaranteeing continued access to APIs and models despite geopolitical shifts, surfaced as a practical sovereignty concern.
Infrastructure emerged as a central theme, with calls to prioritize data centers over semiconductor manufacturing in the near term, and to explore edge AI as a democratization pathway for resource-constrained deployments. Participants stressed the need for increased talent development through university investments, while entrepreneurs emphasized reducing bureaucratic barriers and increasing foreign capital access. The consensus pointed toward building on India's existing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) stack, focusing on agentic systems, and demonstrating leadership through specific, implementable use cases, particularly in critical infrastructure protection, child safety, healthcare, and education, rather than pursuing abstract governance frameworks or premature regulation.
Narrow the focus to demonstrate leadership: The Summit must choose specific priorities rather than trying to cover everything. This can be done by building on India’s DPI strengths, with a focus on agentic systems and the selection of high-impact sectors such as healthcare, education, and critical infrastructure protection. Prioritizing concrete use cases can also demonstrate “AI for good” and help generate public buy-in.
Invest in talent infrastructure, not just hardware: Prioritize data centers over semiconductors in the near term, while also recognizing that infrastructure extends beyond hardware. Invest heavily in universities and focus on reducing bureaucratic barriers and foreign investment constraints that force startups offshore. Focus on edge AI as a democratization strategy for resource-constrained environments rather than competing directly on frontier models.
Address the open source dilemma and model assurance: The growing performance gap between open source and proprietary models risks leaving the Global South to build on potentially weaker models. Countries need concrete model assurances — guarantees that APIs and models remain accessible despite geopolitical shifts. Localizing model weights and expanding edge computing can provide practical pathways to sovereignty.
Speakers:
Rudra Chaudhuri, Director, Carnegie India
Rahul Matthan, Partner, Trilegal
Amlan Mohanty, Fellow, Carnegie India
Samir Saran, President, ORF
From October 28-29, ORF America hosted a private workshop on maritime burden sharing in the Indo-Pacific region. The event featured discussions on U.S. military capabilities and posture in the Indo-Pacific, China’s intentions and maritime power, and their implications for U.S. allies and partners, such as Japan, Australia, India, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Europe. The workshop convened 40 participants from over 10 Indo-Pacific countries including the United States, Japan, Australia, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, South Korea, and the Maldives, and European partners such as Belgium and Norway.
Day 1
The workshop began with a net assessment of naval capabilities, posture and operations between the United States, China, India, Japan, and Australia. Within this context, participants considered multiple questions such as: in the last four years, what have been some major changes to U.S. defense posture in the Indo-Pacific region; what are the major challenges facing the U.S. Navy in the Indo-Pacific; what are the major developments in China’s military capabilities, particularly in the maritime domain; and what are analysts often overlooking in Indo-Pacific security?
Speakers:
Isaac Kardon, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Bonny Lin, Director, China Project and Senior Advisor, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Ely Ratner, Principal, The Marathon Initiative. Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs
Thomas Shugart, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security; Captain, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
Day 2
The workshop continued with a session on unpacking Quad countries’ contributions to maritime security with remarks from Australian, Japanese, and Indian experts. The following session explored future implications of such contributions and how that might change in the context of U.S.-China competition. The workshop concluded with a discussion on Southeast Asia and Europe in the Indo-Pacific region. The participants considered questions such as: what are the Quad countries’ respective naval capabilities and posture in the Indo-Pacific region; in the coming years, how do Quad countries and South Korea see scenarios of U.S. maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific and/or against a more assertive Chinese maritime presence; and how do Vietnam, Philippines and France view the current U.S.-China military balance in the Indo-Pacific region?
Speakers:
Greg Brown, Senior Fellow, Australia Strategic Policy Institute USA
Mathieu Droin, Counselor, Embassy of France
Rear Admiral Monty Khanna, Adjunct Faculty, Naval War College, Goa; and Member, National Security Advisory Board, Government of India
Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Distinguished Fellow, ORF Mumbai; and former Commander-in-Chief of Western Naval Command, Indian Navy
Tanvi Madan, Senior Fellow, Center for Asia Policy Studies, The Brookings Institution
Takuya Matsuda, Assistant Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University
Gregory Poling, Director and Senior Fellow, Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Rena Sasaki, Doctoral Candidate, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
David Vallance, Research Associate, The Lowy Institute
Andrew Yeo, Senior Fellow and the SK-Korea Foundation Chair, Center for Asia Policy Studies, the Brookings Institution
Key takeaways included:
China’s strategic objectives endure. U.S. defense planners should not lose sight or focus of China’s objectives, which is to displace the United States from the first island chain and aspire for regional domination in the Indo-Pacific region. This will impede freedom of navigation, trade flows, and access to critical resources for the United States. Hence, this was the context behind describing China as the “pacing threat” in the 2022 National Defense Strategy. It also led to distributing and diversifying the presence of U.S. bases and facilities i.e. defense posture away from Northeast Asia to countries like Australia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and select U.S. territories.
The scale and reach of China’s military and maritime capabilities is alarming. China has made significant advancements in strengthening its counter-intervention capabilities. The Rocket Force, considered a “crown jewel” of the People’s Liberation Army, possesses long-range precision missiles capable of striking targets as far away as the United States and Japan. Its 2025 Victory Day parade also displayed unmanned systems and nuclear delivery systems, indicating China’s increasing confidence about its military strength. Moreover, China has also built a large “blue-water” navy that can constantly undertake rotational deployments anywhere in the Indo-Pacific region including in the Gulf of Aden and Arctic. In addition to Djibouti, China also has logistics facilities in Cambodia and Pakistan that are most likely to be used for military purposes should future contingencies arise. All these developments when combined with civilian shipping, coast guard, and maritime militia vessels give China more maritime access and reach than before.
Like-minded countries can counter China’s maritime threats by playing to their strengths. Indo-Pacific countries threatened by China’s behavior have advantages unique to them; be it through geography, operations, access, and alliances. Such countries should leverage these to achieve common objectives and promote interoperability. While China may have strong partnerships with Russia, Iran, and North Korea, the United States also has alliances with Japan, Australia, South Korea, and the Philippines. The United States is increasing trilateral coordination with most of these countries through information sharing and military exercises.
Burden sharing is more than just improving defense spending. It is also to develop foundations for collective and collaborative security. This would require answering questions such as what roles and missions can our partners and allies do; what are the requisite command and control structures needed; who takes the lead in a crisis; and how to coordinate operations. For example, the Quad is contributing to regional security through providing maritime domain awareness and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to partner countries.
On October 9, ORF America hosted a closed-door, private roundtable with a delegation from the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. The discussion focused on Vietnam’s assessment of the situation in the East Sea/South China Sea and recent developments in the U.S.-Vietnam relationship. Key points from the discussion included:
Political and military competition is intensifying in the South China Sea: China’s use of maritime militia and coast guards to not merely claim but “enforce” sovereign rights is destabilizing regional security in Southeast Asia. China sees this as integral to its objective of building a “Sino-centrical regional order” in Asia. Consequently, Vietnam and select ASEAN countries are seeking cooperation in new areas like maritime domain awareness including in the undersea domain and information sharing.
U.S.-Vietnam relations are undergoing political and technological transitions: The United States is Vietnam’s largest trading partner, and the latter has also accorded the highest status of its diplomatic partnership to the former. Yet, relations are progressing not as rapidly as required. Unlike in the 1990s and 2000s, the U.S. political system no longer has Vietnam War veterans who were personally invested in building the relationship. Moreover, the proliferation of unmanned systems has forced countries to invest and build their own technology and defense industrial base. These transitions therefore provide new areas for U.S.-Vietnam cooperation.
The scope for intra-ASEAN cooperation and burden sharing is increasing: While U.S. diplomatic and military attention is focused on the Indo-Pacific region, other actors like Japan and South Korea are taking the lead in supporting ASEAN countries to counter Chinese diplomatic policies, particularly in the South China Sea dispute. Participants also provided examples of how ASEAN countries like Philippines and Vietnam are undertaking joint Coast Guard exercises to strengthen maritime cooperation.
Speakers:
Nguyen Hung Son, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
To Anh Tuan, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Henrietta Levin, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Colonel Thomas Stevenson, Assistant Professor, U.S. National War College
Moderator: Lindsey Ford, Senior Fellow for Foreign Policy and Security, ORF America
On October 7, ORF America hosted a Briefings & Beer to explore the present state of U.S.-China strategic competition. The discussion highlighted how U.S. officials continue to respond to China’s power and influence, both regionally and globally, and how this is driving U.S. policy on issues like critical minerals, emerging technologies, tariffs, foreign aid, and military competition in the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, the speakers explored possible scenarios of a U.S.-China grand bargain: what it would look like, how durable it would be, and what implications it might have for U.S. allies and partners.
Speakers:
Peter Mattis, President, The Jamestown Foundation
Lara Crouch Parker, former Director for Southeast Asia, The White House National Security Council
Erin Walsh, Senior Vice President, American Global Strategies
Miles Yu, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
Moderator: Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
On September 4, ORF America hosted a Briefings & Beer on the U.S. STEM talent pipeline and immigration policy with Julie Zaclis Antão of the Information Technology Industry Council, Akanksha Gupta of Google, and Simon Hankinson of The Heritage Foundation. The conversation focused on how U.S. immigration policy can address labor needs in AI and tech industries, and how international STEM talent supports U.S. innovation, economic resilience, and global competitiveness.
Speakers:
Julie Zaclis Antão, Manager of Policy Analysis, Information Technology Industry Council
Akanksha Gupta, Senior Corporate Counsel, Global Immigration, Google
Simon Hankinson, Senior Research Fellow, Border Security and Immigration Center, The Heritage Foundation
Moderator: Caroline Arkalji, Research Assistant, ORF America
On June 16, ORF America co-hosted a closed-door workshop with Carnegie India on U.S.–India Technology Cooperation: Next Steps for TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology). The workshop convened representatives from government, academia, and private defense and technology firms to discuss how the United States and India can accelerate the development of AI infrastructure and advance defense industrial cooperation. The goal of the workshop was to discuss opportunities to build on these priorities — particularly through the Quad Leaders’ Summit later this year and the AI Summit in February next year, both hosted by India.
Session one focused on policies and regulations necessary to expand development of and access to AI infrastructure in India and the United States. Participants highlighted the value of leveraging India’s human capital, scale, local innovation ecosystem, and its position as a trusted partner in the Global South. Additionally, harmonizing differing approaches to AI access between the United States and India was raised as an important priority.
Session two explored next steps for U.S.-India defense cooperation through initiatives such as TRUST and ASIA (Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance). Participants emphasized the need to learn from past cooperation initiatives to understand what worked and what could be done differently. They discussed the need for new procurement mechanisms, better export control alignment, and greater clarity on operational requirements to help facilitate deeper industrial cooperation. The discussion also touched on the role for autonomous capabilities within India’s force modernization plans.
On June 9, ORF America hosted a private lunch with Vinay Kwatra, Ambassador of India to the United States. The discussion explored areas of potential U.S.-India cooperation, with a focus on technology, defense, and energy security, as well as recent developments in bilateral relations.
Speakers:
Vinay Kwatra, Ambassador of India to the United States
Moderator: Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
On May 30, Dhruva Jaishankar moderated a discussion on UN Security Council reforms amidst global turbulence. The discussion was part of a day-long retreat organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and the Observer Research Foundation, which involved nine Permanent Representatives to the United Nations and an additional 11 Permanent Missions.
Event Summary
The second edition of Raisina Tokyo was held on May 22 and 23, 2025. The event was jointly hosted by ORF America, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives).
Raisina Tokyo 2025 brought together 230 high-level participants from 15 countries. The conference focused on advancing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s vision of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific".
The inaugural dinner on May 22nd featured a keynote speech from former Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, as well as addresses from Japan’s State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Masaki Ogushi, and India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri. The dinner program also featured a video address from Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Takeshi Iwaya.
Ambassadors and representatives from the Quad countries — Sibi George, Ambassador of India to Japan; Justin Hayhurst, Australia’s Ambassador to Japan; and Joseph M. Young, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy Tokyo — also delivered remarks. The Quad Addresses can be viewed here.
The second day of the conference opened with remarks by Secretary-General of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party, Hiroshi Moriyama, followed by a session on geoeconomics in the Indo-Pacific featuring Tony Abbott, Former Prime Minister of Australia; Tadashi Maeda, Chairman of the Board of JBIC; Takeshi Niinami, Chairperson of Keizai Doyukai and Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Suntory Holdings Ltd; and moderated by Samir Saran, President of ORF.
Other sessions held under the Chatham House Rule included:
Deep Tech Diplomacy: Dual-Use Technologies for Strategic Partnerships
Waste to Wealth: Profiting from Sustainability in the Indo-Pacific
Beyond Capitals: Subnational Opportunities for Growth
Weathering the Storm: Innovating and Adapting for Food and Water Security
The Trillion-Dollar Transition: Bridging the Energy Finance Gap
Emerging Arsenals: Improving Defense Technology and Production
On May 12, ORF America hosted a webinar about India's response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, and ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
Speakers:
Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.), former Commander, 15 Corps (Srinagar), Indian Army
Ashok Malik, Partner and India Chair, The Asia Group
Aparna Pande, Research Fellow and Director, Hudson Institute
Moderator: Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
On April 1, ORF America hosted a private roundtable on the Quad — Australia, India, Japan, and the United States — with government officials and experts. The roundtable explored how the Quad, which will be a key focus for regional cooperation under the second Trump administration, should evolve in its structure and focus.
On March 13, ORF America hosted DC-based space policy experts for an engaging discussion on the fast-evolving world of international space policy. With the global space economy projected to be worth $1.8 trillion by 2035, the conversation included insights into the latest policy and regulatory developments from the United States, India, and private sector companies like SpaceX.
Other topics included the significance of India's growing presence in space, the urgent need for a regulatory framework to ensure space sustainability, and the impact of the second Trump administration on U.S. space policy.
This was the 12th convening of ORF America’s Briefings & Beer series, which offers young professionals in D.C. the opportunity to informally engage with distinguished foreign policy experts and network with peers.
Speakers:
Namrata Goswami, Professor of Space Security, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
Victoria Samson, Chief Director of Space Security and Stability, Secure World Foundation
Brian Weeden, Systems Director, Center for Space Policy and Strategy at The Aerospace Corporation
Moderator: Ishani Chettri, Communications Assistant, ORF America
On February 15, ORF America, in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation and the Ministry of External Affairs of India, hosted a lunch on the sidelines of the 61st Munich Security Conference. The discussion, “Exception and Exceptionalism: Deciphering the 2025 World Order”, focused on the conditions that can catalyze partnerships and cooperation, and preserve global stability and security, at this moment of global transition for the international order.
Speakers:
H.E. Alexander Stubb, President, Finland
H.E. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India
H.E. Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirates
H.E. Jon Huntsman, Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard
Dr. Nathalie Tocci, Director, Istituto Affari Internazionali, Italy
Moderator: Dr. Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India
Photo Credit: MSC/Tobias Koehler
On February 13, ORF America hosted members of the D.C. diplomatic corps for a discussion on Trump 2.0. The event was part of ORF America’s Briefings & Beer series, which offers young professionals in D.C. the opportunity to informally engage with distinguished foreign policy experts and network with peers.
Speakers:
Tamie Balaga, Political Counsellor, Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C.
Yoav Katz, Minister Counselor for Political Affairs, Israeli Embassy to the
United States
Maria Markowska, Head of the Political Section and First Counselor, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, D.C.
Moderator: Medha Prasanna, Program Coordinator and Junior Fellow, ORF America
Ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to DC, ORF America hosted a series of discussions on the future of the U.S.-India partnership. The program was attended by officials from the U.S. government, embassies, private sector, think tanks, academia, media, and international organizations.
Panel 1: Deepening Strategic Relations
Lindsey Ford, former Senior Director for South Asia, National Security Council
Sameer Lalwani, Senior Expert on South Asia, U.S. Institute of Peace
Walter Russell Mead, Distinguished Fellow, The Hudson Institute
Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America (moderator)
Panel 2: Implications for Trade and Business
Amy Hariani, Senior Advisor, U.S.-India Business Council
Richard Rossow, Senior Advisor and Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics, Center for Strategic & International Studies
Anand Shah, Partner, The Asia Group
Anthony Renzulli, Associate Partner, Albright Stonebridge Group, and Non-Resident Fellow, ORF America (moderator)
From December 10-12, ORF and ORF America hosted a Governance Talks for alumni of the Raisina Young Fellows Program, also known as the Asian Forum on Global Governance (AFGG). The program included networking lunches and dinners, as well as discussions on The United States and the World after 2024, Security, Business, and Tech in a Changing World, Competing Multilateralism, and Cooperative Resilience against the Climate Crisis.
The alumni network of the Raisina Young Fellows Programme and its sister forum, the Bucerius Summer School, Hamburg, is 1600 strong, with representatives from over 100 countries. Alumni engage regularly through the bi-annual Governance Talks, designed as conferences where contemporary questions on economics, politics, and society are discussed.
Speakers:
Sara Ahmadian, Founder, AnarVC
Peter Aukamp, Senior Advisor at Kingsrock Advisors LLC / OceanSafe AG / Good Carbon GmbH
Carl Bildt, Former Prime Minister, Sweden
Aleksandra Chmielewska, Program Partnerships Manager, Giga/UNICEF
Grant Cuprak, U.S. Department of Defense
Kanchi Gupta, Program Manager, Climate Works Foundation
Manuel Hartung, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board, Zeit Stiftung Bucerius
Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
Pavel Luzin, Visiting scholar at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University); Senior non-resident fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis; Senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation
Tadashi Maeda, Chairman of the Board, Japan Bank of International Cooperation
Rajeev Mantri, Founder & Managing Partner, Navam Capital
Dhivya Ravikumar, Markets Development Advisory Specialist, Asian Development Bank
Eberhard Sandschneider, Partner, Berlin Global Advisors, Dean Bucerius Summer School on Global Governance
Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation
Marian Vidauri, Doctor of International Affairs
On December 10, ORF America hosted its 2024 Annual Dinner in San Francisco with alumni, partners, and friends.
Every year, the ORF America Annual Dinner brings together high-profile leaders from the public and private sector to discuss contemporary global governance issues impacting the current world order. The 2024 edition of the Annual Dinner featured a conversation on the future of American engagement with the world, as well as, the implications of emerging technologies on geopolitics, business and international development priorities.
Speakers:
Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, President, Emirates Policy Center, UAE
Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sweden
Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California
Tadashi Maeda, Chairman of the Board, Japan Bank for International
Cooperation
Marise Payne, former Foreign and Defense Minister, Australia
Moderator: Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
On December 10, ORF America and ORF launched the Global Diaspora Forum with a gathering between leading diaspora members of India and Armenia. At the inaugural meeting of the Global Diaspora Forum, Indian-American and Armenian-American technology leaders and practitioners discussed the role of emerging technologies as a catalyst for economic growth, shared and emerging geopolitical challenges, and how diaspora networks can be better leveraged for a more innovative and resilient future.
About the Global Diaspora Forum:
India is among many countries to enjoy a large and successful diaspora, including in the United States. Indian-Americans are among the wealthiest and most educated communities in the country, and have risen to leadership positions in business, politics, science, and the arts. Indian-Americans also serve as important bridges between India and the United States. Similar trends can be observed among Indian communities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere.
Creating a network of prominent members of the Indian diaspora from around the world with counterparts associated with like-minded countries represents a major opportunity. A Global Diaspora Forum - anchored by ORF and its affiliates - will help link members of the Indian diaspora to counterparts from other communities around the world. It will help create networks, identify shared areas of concern, and explore opportunities for business and policy collaboration.
Speakers:
Hakob Arshakyan, Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Science and Technology Development Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of Armenia and Vice President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
Vinod Dham, Founder and Executive Managing Partner, IndoUS Venture Partners
Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
Khanderao Kand, President, Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies
Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation
Yervant Zorian, Chairman, APRI Armenia; Vice President, Armenian General Benevolent Union; President, Synopsys Armenia
On December 5, Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director of ORF America, launched his new book, "Vishwa Shastra: India and the World", at Teen Murti Bhavan in New Delhi.
Published by Penguin India, "Vishwa Shastra" is meant as an introduction to India in international affairs. It describes a long history of India's interactions with the world, from ancient times to the present day. Speaking to a wide audience that includes policymakers, scholars and especially students, the book offers both rich, historical context and forward-looking strategies for India.
The launch featured remarks by Samir Saran, President of ORF and Manasi Subramaniam, Editor-in-Chief of Penguin Random House India, as well as a panel discussion with Shamika Ravi of the PM's Economic Advisory Council, Indrani Bagchi, CEO of the Ananta Centre; C. Raja Mohan, Columnist with the Indian Express; and Ashok Malik, Partner at The Asia Group.
The 25th edition of the India Trilateral Forum (ITF) in New Delhi was attended by over 50 experts and officials from ten countries including Poland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. Since 2010, ITF has become the leading dialogue connecting top officials, strategic thinkers, journalists, and academics from India, Europe, and the United States. ITF is co-organized by ORF America, the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
ITF 25 took place on December 4 and 5. The conference opened with a keynote by Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Trade, Jakan Hevrell, and Secretary (West) of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Ambassador Tanmaya Lal. Subsequent panels covered the implications of the U.S. elections, recent developments in India-Europe relations, and India-China ties.
Day 2 opened with the launch of the FourSight Task Force joint report and a briefing on the Quad. Other sessions covered trilateral cooperation in technology, with the Middle East, and with African partners. ITF 25 concluded with the launch of “Vishwa Shastra: India and the World” , a new book by Dhruva Jaishankar, at the Teen Murti Bhavan.
All panel discussions touched on various strategic questions. What will the foreign policy priorities be for the second Trump administration? Why is there a resurgence of India-Europe cooperation, particularly with Germany, the European Commission, and Poland? What is the future of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor? What is the future of India-China ties? What are the possibilities for Europe, India, and U.S. cooperation with African partners?
The key takeaways included:
The United States will have a more “Jacksonian” approach to foreign policy under Trump 2.0. It is expected that Trump 2.0 will carry forward the work of Trump’s first term in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. The United States will remain focused squarely on China and its threats to Indo-Pacific security.
Trade, Ukraine, and regional security remain Europe’s top concerns vis-à-vis Trump 2.0. American conversations with European officials will be less about virtue signaling, and more direct and specific. Trump 2.0 will encourage European countries to make harder choices and assume more responsibility for their security.
U.S. priorities in the Middle East may not change drastically with Trump 2.0. This includes supporting Israel, bringing in Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords, and countering Chinese and Russian presence in the region.
The Quad’s purpose may not alter significantly. It will continue to focus on the delivery of public goods in the Indo-Pacific region. Through working groups, the Quad countries are seeking to address challenges in health, Artificial Intelligence, telecommunications, agriculture, and maritime security. Overall, these activities and initiatives by no means preclude the discussion of traditional security and military issues.
The future of India-China relations will be competitive and tense. Due to a lack of trust and worsening security perceptions, there is no change in the fundamental trajectory of the India-China relationship. Despite recent border agreements, trust has completely eroded between the two countries. India will continue taking concrete steps to decrease its economic dependence on China.
India and the United States will remain aligned on defense, technology, and regional security in Asia and the Middle East. Participants broadly agreed that the United States and India have shed “the hesitations of history”. China continues to loom large for both countries. Going forward, burden sharing will be key. India will make a case for how the United States can help India enhance its military capabilities and lessen its burdens in maintaining regional security.
The future trajectory is positive for India-Europe cooperation. India is now the fifth largest trading partner of the EU. In the last 18 months alone, India has had over 100 meetings with European countries at different levels, and is expanding engagement with the Baltic and Nordic regions. In the future, clean energy technologies, economic security, maritime security, and multilateral reforms are areas where India and Europe can enhance strategic cooperation.
India, Europe, and the United States will explore initiatives on trade and technology cooperation. Any scope for trilateral cooperation must focus on the delivery of concrete projects.
On November 12, ORF America hosted a discussion on the 2024 U.S. elections. The discussion explored the issues and trends that informed the outcome of the 2024 U.S. elections.
This was the tenth convening of the Briefings & Beer series, which is organized by ORF America for young professionals in Washington, D.C. The series offers young professionals the opportunity to informally engage with distinguished foreign policy experts, as well as a platform to network with peers. This discussion was attended by journalists, think tank analysts, and embassy officials.
Speakers:
Clifford Young, President, Ipsos U.S. Public Affairs
Kristin Davison, Partner, Axiom Strategies
Moderator: Natalie Boyse, Program Manager, Global Programs, ORF America
On October 23, ORF America hosted a discussion on the Quad with members of the FourSight task force. FourSight: A Task Force on China's Strategic Futures works to promote academic and professional cooperation among emerging China scholars from Quad countries, while offering new perspectives and assessments to policymakers.
The speakers shared their experiences from the FourSight workshop so far, including what surprised them the most in their meetings with China experts in the U.S. government and think tank spaces. They also discussed differences between the Quad countries’ perspectives and challenges when dealing with China, as well as how they became interested in China.
This was the ninth convening of the Briefings & Beer series, which is organized by ORF America for young professionals in Washington, D.C. The series offers young professionals the opportunity to informally engage with distinguished foreign policy experts, as well as a platform to network with peers. This discussion was attended by journalists, think tank analysts, and embassy officials.
Speakers:
Shikha Aggarawal, Visiting Fellow, India Foundation
Takuya Matsuda, Adjunct Lecturer, Aoyama Gakuin University
Philip Rogers, Senior Manager, China, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Neil Thomas, Fellow on Chinese Politics, Center for China Analysis, Asia Society Policy Institute
Moderator: Medha Prasanna, Junior Fellow and Program Assistant, ORF America
Between October 21-25, the FourSight task force convened in Washington D.C. for a workshop on China’s Strategic Futures. Participants learned about contemporary debates in China policy across the Quad countries, examined the future of Chinese power and perceptions through structured exercises, co-wrote a joint report to be published in November 2024, and presented their findings to U.S. policymakers.
FourSight Wrap Up
Day 1
The task force formally kicked off at the ORF America office with a keynote on the arc of Chinese power, followed by sessions on India-China relations and the United States, Australia, and the Quad.
Speakers:
Greg Brown, Senior Analyst, ASPI DC
Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
Dougal McInnes, Minister-Counselor Political, Embassy of Australia, Washington D.C.
Amb. Sripriya Ranganathan, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Washington D.C.
Nadege Rolland, Distinguished Fellow, China Studies, National Bureau of Asian Research
Day 2
The task force was briefed by subject matter experts on China’s domestic politics and leadership, economics and technology, and military power and security. These sessions covered various themes relating to China’s elite decision making, strategies and concepts of internal security, economic policymaking, industrial policy, nuclear modernization, military reforms, and gray-zone tactics. The day concluded with an informal reception at the Embassy of India with officials from the Political and Military wings.
Speakers:
Martin Chorzempa, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Sheena Greitens, Associate Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs
Isaac Kardon, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Liza Tobin, Senior Director for Economy, Special Competitive Studies Project
Joseph Torigian, Assistant Professor, American University
Philip Saunders, Distinguished Research Fellow, National Defense University
Day 3
The task force convened at ASPI DC’s office for a scenario planning exercise, also known as Alternative Futures exercise. After framing a research question, participants identified and ranked more than 125 variables that may determine China’s strategic outlook in 2030. Following an intensive discussion, participants selected two key variables and constructed a 2x2 matrix with each quadrant depicting a future scenario. They then constructed narratives for each scenario within smaller groups.
The day concluded with a networking reception hosted by ORF America, where participants spoke to young professionals about their experience on China studies and the Quad. More details here.
Speakers:
Greg Brown, Senior Analyst, ASPI DC
Day 4
The task force returned to ORF America for a day of writing. By the late afternoon, the task force had completed a 3,500-word joint report examining China’s strategic outlook in 2030, as well as prepared a presentation highlighting key arguments and findings of the joint report.
Day 5
On the final day of the workshop, participants briefed officials from the U.S. Department of Defense, the White House National Security Council staff, and the U.S. Department of State on their findings. During each briefing, participants fielded various questions on U.S.-China comparative military advantages, recent developments in India-China relations, Chinese elite decision making, and cross-straits competition. The day and the workshop ended with an informal reception.
Speakers:
Dr. Matthew Daniels, Senior Advisor, Office of Net Assessment, U.S. Department of Defense
Ms. Joy Li, Director, White House National Security Council
Ms. Nancy Jackson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for India, U.S. Department of State
Ms. Katherine Chin, Global Unit Chief for East Asia, U.S. Department of State
Office of China Coordination, U.S. Department of State
On October 16, ORF America hosted a private lunch with Nihal Chauhan, Non-Resident Fellow at ORF America and the Chief Executive Officer of Indo-Pacific Advisory, a Singapore-based strategic consultancy firm. The conversation explored business and commercial perspectives on India’s engagement with Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.
As India attempts to strengthen strategic and economic ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific, a number of trends are emerging — the significance of industrial policy in the aftermath of global financial crises and the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing alignment between government priorities and business interests, and re-alignments of supply chains. Participants discussed the potential implications of U.S.-China competition and the upcoming U.S. presidential election on India’s relations with the Indo-Pacific.
The lunch was attended by U.S. government officials from the White House and Congress, along with representatives from the diplomatic corps, business groups, think tanks, and strategic consultancy firms.
Speakers:
Nihal Chauhan, Non-Resident Fellow, ORF America
Moderator: Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
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