MUMBAI: Sunday Guardian Foundation today hosts a day-long conference on the theme of India & US Partners in Global Security & Challenges. Held at Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi, the daylong conclave holds some of the important discussions on Indian & US defense partnership, the defense experts and policy makers also discussed about counter global terrorism and challenges.
While speaking during the inaugural session, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs (I/c); Minister of Civil Aviation; Minister for Commerce & Industry, said “India and US share a vibrant relationship and this is the best phase of it. There are several programmes which are successfully undergoing in the areas of cooperation in the field of housing & urban affairs, commerce & Industry and civil aviation. Further he said on the security challenges and global terrorism “One particular country has always used terrorism as their political strategy globally.”
In another interesting session on Pathway to Partnership with Shri Subramanian Swamy, Member of Parliament (Raya Sabha) Shri Swamy said “It is in our interest to safeguard Afghanistan for capturing Pakistan occupied Kashmir.” Further he said that, “Americans are very practical people who believe in give & take. We need to deal with US in same manner, we should commit to become good friends with US.”
Shri Sudhanshu Trivedi, Senior BJP leader during his key note speech said “US and India have relevant potential to establish a new good picture of defense relations.” While speaking on the bilateral trade between US & India he said, “Issues like civil liberty, H1B visa and trade relation can be sorted out easily between the two nations. It is just that a right direction is needed in sectors like technology, military and intellect to enhance India and US bilateral relation.”
During the conference, there were special address by Shri Kanwal Sibal, Former Foreign Secretary, GoI said “US and India needs to work towards digitizing the economy and a consistent work is needed to face challenge of maritime economic corridor. Both nations need to work towards cyber security and multiculturalism.
Shri Kartikeya Sharma, Founder, Sunday Guardian Foundation, in his opening remarks outlines the importance of the deep partnership between India & U.S for defense and global security challenges.
Dr Shekhar Dutt, SM patron, GCTC, Former Governor & Former Defense Secy, GOI. Says that “U.S and India should work towards military improvement, curbing piracy and extremism. Both U.S and India relationship needs to be enhanced in another dimension of human belief. Opportunities are essential in innovation, trade, education, commerce and industry.”
During a special session with the men in uniform, IG KR Suresh, DDG- Indian Coast Guard, says “A way ahead in future between Indian and US relationship can be categorically bracketed in regional cooperation in maritime.” While, Air vice Marshal RGK Kapoor says “More opportunities needed for convergence of ideas rather than divergence in pursuance of global security between India and US relationship.” While, Rear admiral DS Gujral, ACS-CSNCO says “Two countries need to work towards collaboration, trans-national nature of maritime domain.”
During another session on India-US Cooperation in Global War on Terror, Senior Fellow, Editor of FDD's long war Journal, Washington DC, Bill Roggio says “United States needs to work towards the defense policies to fight against terrorism.”
There was a special session on Shared interest and Common between the two countries, attended by Mr. Bill Roggio, Senior Fellow and Editor of FDD’s long war journal, Washington DC; Lt. Gen. Rakesh Sharma, Executive Council Member-GCTC; Ms Anju Gupta, IPS, Additional Director; Mr. Cleo Paskal, Senior Fellow, FDD.
The last session holds the Capital Dialogue session which was attended by Major General AK Siwach; Ms Varsha Koduvayur, Senior Research Analyst, Foundation for defense of democracies, Washington DC; Michael Smits, Research Analyst, FDD. Speaking during the session senior Fellow FDD, Cleo Paskal says United States has great capacity and India has better instrument to counter global terrorism.
India & US Partners in Global Security & Challenges conference was attended by Politicians, Bureaucrats, Defense Experts, Economists, Corporate leaders and Elite Members of Civil Society.
