OP Jindal University
New Delhi [India], September 1: “Today, we need a sense of strategic patience. India needs to be firm that we’re not going to yield to demands, but remain open to negotiations. It’s important to understand the sources of change within the United States,” said renowned author, thinker, and foreign policy expert Professor (Dr.) C. Raja Mohan at the inaugural seminar of the Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies (MJIAS). The title of the seminar was “Resetting the US-India Ties Through Dialogue & Diplomacy.”
The seminar was held in New Delhi to mark a day of substantive discussion and strategic engagement, commemorating the launch of MJIAS as a credible, non-partisan platform for Indo-US policy dialogue. Professor (Dr.) C. Raja Mohan is also the Distinguished Professor & Senior Fellow Designate, MJIAS.
The United States and India–two of the world’s largest democracies–share a relationship of strategic depth and multifaceted engagement. Cooperation spans defence, technology, education, and people-to-people ties, while challenges in trade and regulation continue to shape this vital partnership.
In his in-depth analysis, Dr. C. Raja Mohan said, “Given the difficult period that India and the US are going through, it is important to have an institute like the Motwani Jadeja Institute of American Studies. Its contribution will really be long term, to scale this relationship and give it intellectual ballast. It is very clear India has not invested enough intellectual capital in understanding the complex politics. We need a deeper appreciation of the long history of the United States, of its persistent political current and its cultural modes. Originally, American populism was against the concentration of wealth, and bouts of anti-dominant capitalist sentiment have always been a part of history. To understand what’s going on in the US today, we need to dig deeper into its history and its culture.”
In a wide-ranging discourse, which explored the various phases of the India-US relationship, Dr. Raja Mohan opined, “India saw technological collaborations and a relationship in the 1960s. It’s easy to forget, as the first Indian reactor, the first Indian satellite, the agrarian revolution and the Green Revolution were with American support. Yet, in 1971 there was a whole range of other developments which saw a dramatic collapse of the relationship. Many of those obstacles were overcome in the 2000-2005 period with four successive Prime Ministers–P.V. Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Shri Narendra Modi–who devoted significant political and diplomatic resources to redo this relationship.”
As its inaugural initiative, MJIAS brought together parliamentarians, diplomats, business leaders, and academics to deliberate on strengthening Indo-US relations through dialogue and diplomacy.
Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, President, MJIAS & Founding Vice Chancellor, JGU, said in his Welcome Address:
“We are hosting this seminar at a very important time when there are significant challenges in US-India relations. It is important to go beyond the current scenario. For many of us who have had the opportunity to interact with the United States, it is significant to note that no country in the world is closer to India in terms of our shared beliefs, our shared values, our deep commitment to the rule of law, commitment to democratic institutions, our belief and faith in the possibility of individuals, who, through their hard work and determination, can shape the future of themselves and the destiny of our nations. The India-US relationship is not only one of the most defining relationships of the future, but also an opportunity to essentially shape the future of humankind. The United States is a country which has been the birthplace of so many ideas, and we need to recognize the extraordinary history that both our countries share. The establishment of the Motwani Jadeja Institute of American Studies is an attempt to develop a greater understanding of India in the United States, the complexity of this relationship, and to work towards a better future for India and the United States.”
The Special Address and Keynote Address were delivered by Ambassador Mr. Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and His Excellency Mr. Jorgan K. Andrews, Charge d’Affaires, Senior Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State, respectively. Both congratulated JGU for establishing the Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies, thanked Ms. Asha Jadeja Motwani for her generous donation, and underlined the important role it could play in promoting and advancing India-US ties.
They lauded O.P. Jindal Global University for its vision in creating a pioneering institution dedicated to American Studies in India, emphasizing that such initiatives enrich academic discourse while also strengthening bilateral understanding. Ambassador Naidu and Mr. Andrews also highlighted how the establishment of the Motwani Jadeja Institute is a testament to the power of philanthropy, commending Ms. Asha Jadeja Motwani for her remarkable contribution that will leave a lasting legacy. They noted that few universities in the region have demonstrated the foresight and commitment that JGU has shown in investing in intellectual capital to advance India-US relations. The presence of the Institute, they observed, not only elevates the stature of JGU globally but also serves as a beacon of how private philanthropy and academic excellence can converge to address pressing international issues.
Professor (Dr.) Mohan Kumar, the Inaugural Director General, MJIAS, said in his Introductory Remarks that there could not be a better time for a discussion on the India-US relationship by the Motwani Jadeja Institute of American Studies. “This is not the first time that the India-US relationship is going through a difficult phase. Such a dialogue is essential to keep the relationship going, which cannot be seen through the prism of a few months or just through trade and tariffs.”
The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Professor (Dr.) Swati Chawla, Assistant Director, MJIAS.
The inaugural session also included several panel discussions:
* Legislative Bridges & Policy Dialogue in India-US Relations, moderated by Professor (Dr.) Sreeram S. Chaulia, Dean, Jindal School of International Affairs, JGU
* Commerce Without Conflict – Perspectives from Business, Trade & Investment Leaders, moderated by Professor Ram B. Ramachandran, Associate Director, MJIAS & Vice Dean, Jindal School of Banking & Finance, JGU
* Strategic Symbiosis – Academic and Diplomatic Pathways to Bilateral Harmony, moderated by Professor (Dr.) Sriparna Pathak, Associate Director, MJIAS & Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs, JGU
Distinguished participants included: Dr. Sasmit Patra, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha; Ambassador Ms. Meera Shankar, Former Indian Ambassador to the United States; Ms. Sharmila Kantha, Principal Consultant, Confederation of Indian Industry; Mr. Shishir Priyadarshi, President, Chintan Research Foundation; Ambassador Mr. Sanjay Kumar Verma, Chairperson, Research and Information System for Developing Countries; Mr. Raman Kalra, Vice President, IBM Consulting; Ambassador Mr. Arun Kumar Singh, Former Indian Ambassador to the United States; Ambassador Mr. Rajiv Bhatia, Distinguished Fellow, Gateway House; Ambassador Ms. Gaitri Issar Kumar, Former Indian Diplomat; and Professor (Dr.) Rajat Kathuria, Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shiv Nadar University.
The day-long seminar addressed two vital questions confronting India-US ties today: How did we get here? And Where do we go from here?
The general consensus was that the following factors, inter alia, contributed to the current stalemate in bilateral ties: trade and tariffs, Indian purchase of Russian oil, US-Pakistan ties, the personal pique of President Trump vis-a-vis India, and the relative change in US-China ties.
In terms of response, it was felt that India needs to hunker down, demonstrate strategic resilience, diversify export markets, and generally hold the line. It was broadly agreed that the US is an important strategic partner and that the partnership between India and the US, notwithstanding current difficulties, has the potential to be the most consequential for the twenty-first century.
O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has been the proud recipient of a landmark endowment of US$5 million from Ms. Asha Jadeja Motwani and the Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation. This visionary gift is one of the largest philanthropic contributions to JGU and among the most significant investments in American Studies in India. The Institute is named in honour of the late Professor Rajeev Motwani, a legendary Stanford University computer scientist, whose mentorship helped shape the journeys of the founders of Google and countless other innovators.
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