Centre for Public Policy Research (C.P.P.R.), in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai, Public Affairs section is undertaking a project to study ‘India – U.S. Relations: Change, Continuity and Transformation’ with a special focus on four areas of cooperation:
- U.S.-India Trade Relations
- U.S.-India Science and Technology Cooperation
- Indo-Pacific Strategy
- U.S. and India as partners in global climate initiatives
To that effect, CPPR is hosting a series of webinars on the above mentioned themes. These webinars will bring together distinguished speakers to deliberate on how India and the U.S. can align their individual objectives in these core areas. The webinar will begin with initial remarks from the speakers, followed by a moderated discussion, that will end with a curated Q&A.
Webinar 1
United States and India as Partners in Climate Action: The Clean Energy Agenda Energy Agenda
June 17, 2021 | 5 PM IST
Webinar 2
Indo Pacific Strategy – Reimagining the maritime outlook
August 26, 2021 | 5 PM IST
Webinar 3
U.S.-India Trade Relations – To the next level
November 2021 | 5 PM IST
Webinar 4
Transformational Technologies & U.S.-India Science & Technology Cooperation
January 2022
The objectives of the project:
- To prepare a platform for informed discussions on the focus areas, for private and government functionaries of India and America, with detailed insights from the experts of both the countries,
- To enable knowledge transfer and dissemination, through a two-day conference with the participation of subject experts from the U.S., in order to gain insights into the American perspectives on the focus areas.
- To conduct webinars on the selected topics with the participation of subject experts from both India and the U.S.A.
- To prepare issue briefs after each webinar in order to provide ideas and solutions for relevant stakeholders in India and the U.S.A.
- To publish an edited volume of research papers, presentations, ideas and solutions that were presented during the conference and the webinar series, which could also be a playbook for India-America people to people relations in Trade, Science and Technology, Maritime Relations in the Indo-Pacific, and Climate Action.
Webinar 1
United States and India as Partners in Climate Action: The Clean Energy Agenda
This event explored the U.S.-India Climate Change Partnership with special reference to collaborations between the two countries in the clean energy sector. The two speakers discussed the partnership as described in the U.S.-India Joint Statement made in April 2021: Both the United States and India have set ambitious 2030 targets for climate action and clean energy. In its new nationally determined contribution, the United States has set an economy-wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50–52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030. As part of its climate mitigation efforts, India has set a target of installing 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030. Through the Partnership, the United States and India are firmly committed to working together in achieving their ambitious climate and clean energy targets and to strengthening bilateral collaboration across climate and clean energy.
KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
The key discussion points were:
- Shared commitments on climate change and the SDGs; The U.S.’ renewed commitment to the Paris climate agreement (COP21) and India’s response
- Collaborating on the 2030 agenda for clean and green technologies
- Partnering on future clean energy technology research, development, innovation and deployment, including the transfer of technologies
- Finance for effective climate action: Mobilizing public, private and multilateral funds
- Increasing climate ambitions: U.S.’ goal to deepen India’s targets for renewable energy and India’s response (net zero emissions by 2050)
- Joint partnerships to develop efficient carbon markets and effective carbon pricing
- Joint priorities for the COP – 26 meeting (UK 2021)
The webinar also give publicity to the current U.S. administration’s new policy on climate change.
PANELISTS/SPEAKERS
Dr. Jessica Seddon, Global Lead, Air Quality, World Resources Institute
Prof. A. Damodaran, Professor, Economics & Social Sciences, IIM Bangalore
Date: 17 June 2021
Time: 05:00 PM – 06:30 PM IST (07:30 AM – 09:00 AM EDT)
Event Video Recording: https://www.cppr.in/events/happening-today-webinar-on-united-states-and-india-as-partners-in-climate-action-the-clean-energy-agenda
Issue Brief: https://www.cppr.in/policy-briefs/us-and-india-as-partners-in-climate-action-a-clean-energy-agenda
Podcast: https://www.cppr.in/podcasts/us-india-climate-action
Webinar 2
Indo Pacific Strategy – Reimagining the maritime outlook
The Indo-Pacific Region (IPR) is the most contested maritime space in the world today. India and the United States have a critical role to play in forging an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific order. Furthermore, China’s growing influence in the Indo-pacific expanse stands to converge the two countries’ foreign policy strategies in the IPR and presents an opportunity for improved bilateral cooperation among the countries as the Biden administration settles in.The recently declassified ‘U.S. Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific (SFIP)’ document reinforces the potential of this partnership as India is placed at the forefront of US’s plans in the IPR. In the context of US-India bilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, the webinar brought together distinguished speakers to deliberate on how India and the US can align their strategic and economic interests in the Indo Pacific region to ensure peace and stability.
KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
The key discussion points were:
- Will the ‘Indo Pacific’ remain as the focus of the United States’ foreign policy under the Biden Administration? Can India play a crucial role in fulfilling this strategy?
- What can India and the United States do jointly to promote security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region?
- What new areas of cooperation can India and the United States explore with other countries of the Indo Pacific Region?
- How can the QUAD be leveraged to work towards a free, open and inclusive Indo Pacific region?
- How can India leverage these new partnerships in the Indo Pacific region to compete with a rising China, rather than counter it?
PANELISTS/ SPEAKERS
Dr Rajeswari Rajagopalan, Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology (CSST) at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi
Mr Gregory Poling, senior fellow for Southeast Asia and director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at CSIS
Date: August 26, 2021
Time: 05:00 PM – 06:30 PM IST (07:30 AM – 09:00 AM EDT)
Event Video Recording: https://www.cppr.in/videos/indo-pacific-strategy-reimagining-the-maritime-outlook
Event Report: https://www.cppr.in/event-report/indo-pacific-strategy
Issue Brief: https://www.cppr.in/policy-briefs/us-india-indo-pacific-strategy-reimagining-the-maritime-outlook
Webinar 3
U.S.-India Trade Relations – To the next level
The United States and India have shared interests in promoting global security, stability, and economic prosperity through trade, investment, and connectivity. The cornerstone of the US India partnership remains their trade and commercial linkages. A shared bilateral goal has been the need to realise trade aspirations of $500 billion.
The webinar brought together distinguished speakers to deliberate on how India and the US can further their bilateral trade and their engagements in the multilateral trading system.
KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
The key discussion points were:
- How can the United States and India further its bilateral trade in goods and services? Which are the key sectors? How will bilateral trade relations change under the Biden administration? What would a ‘India US trade agenda for the Biden administration’ include?
- Feasibility of the US- India FTA: Should the United States and India pursue a comprehensive FTA or forge preferential trade agreements that cover specific sectors or products? What trade issues should the United States and India prioritize in any future talks?
- Which issues do the two countries differ on at the WTO? Has there been any progress on those discussions? Are there opportunities to bridge these differences?
- India and the United States are absent from the Indo-Pacific region’s two major trade pacts, the RCEP and the CP-TPP. Will India and the United States renegotiate re-entry into RCEP and CP-TPP, respectively, or potentially seek other ways to engage on regional issues?
- India, US and China troika – implications for regional and global cooperation
PANELISTS/SPEAKERS
Mark Linscott, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council – South Asia Center, Former assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asian affairs.
Rupa Chanda, Professor of Economics, IIMB (on leave).
Date:10 November, 2021
Time: 05:00 PM – 06:30 PM IST (07:30 AM – 09:00 AM EDT)
Webinar 4
Transformational Technologies and U.S.-India Science and Technology Cooperation
KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
The suggested key-points for discussion are given below:
- The India -US Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation was signed in 2005. Given the developments in the field of science and technology, what should be the new additions to this agreement?
- What is the role of forums like the Indo – U.S. Science & Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and dialogues like the Indo – US Technology Summit in fostering S&T cooperation between the two countries?
- What steps have the two countries taken jointly to foster innovation and entrepreneurship?
- Funding opportunities for R&D in science and technology between the two countries
- What programs can the two countries device to encourage scientists and talent from the two countries to work on areas of mutual interest?
- Startup ecosystem in the two countries
- India Innovation Growth program