U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, August 2010
The fourteenth session of the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue convened in Washington, DC, and Aspen, Colorado, from August 3-6, to discuss the upcoming visit to India by U.S. President Barack Obama and assess the opportunities and challenges both countries will have to navigate before and during his trip. The delegations delved deeply into specific areas of concern for this strategic partnership: the war and development efforts in Afghanistan, the critical role Pakistan is playing in the region, China’s ambitions in the region, the consequences of climate change and its implications for energy security, the challenges we face vis-à-vis Iran, and the prospects for a broader US-India economic partnership. Prior to the roundtable sessions in Aspen, the Indian delegation met in Washington, DC, with U.S. government officials to receive a thorough assessment of the new administration’s approach towards India. In attendance were Larry Summers, Director of the National Economic Council; General James Jones, National Security Advisor; Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury; Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary of Energy; and James Steinberg, Deputy Secretary of State. Following several days of meaningful discussion, key areas of cooperation were identified, including joint energy and green-building projects, and the expansion of cultural and educational exchanges.