India's External Affairs minister meets USINPAC Delegation

Washington, D.C. - On September 22, External Affairs Minister of India, Natwar Singh, met a delegation from the leading political action committee, USINPAC in the sidelines of the UNGA in New York.

Welcoming the delegation, Singh asserted that USINPAC in a short span of two years had achieved tangible and substantive progress in creating a bridge between the Indian Diaspora and India, and forged ahead in creating a favorable atmosphere of having constructive dialog between the United States and India. "You [USINPAC] are an asset to us", acknowledged Mr. Singh.

Speaking at the meeting Singh mentioned that ties between India and the US would continue to grow at a rapid pace and that there would be no shift in policy. He impressed upon the delegation to work with the large Indian-American community to come together and share common issues, and be more proactive to their concerns.

Singh was extremely pleased to learn that USINPAC is working hard to add India to the existing list of 15 nations who receive aid from the US administration for HIV/AIDS prevention.

On the issue of terrorism Singh said that both India and Pakistan would work towards a solution in ironing out differences. He also mentioned that during his conversation with President Bush, he brought to the President's attention that even though India has the second largest population of Muslims in the world, not a single Indian citizen had joined Al Qaeda.

Anuj Wadhawan, CFO of OSI Systems and a member of the USINPAC delegation commented, "We appreciate Mr. Singh giving us his time and keen hearing. We are excited about investment opportunities in India and working with the government for mutual benefit."

Kent S. Charugundla, CEO of Eagle Communications and also a member of the USINPAC delegation said after the meeting "I was delighted to be at the meeting, and very pleased to learn that Mr. Natwar Singh is so practically oriented to assist U.S. businesses in connecting with resources in India." He added, "I expect concrete developments between U.S. businesses and India."

The success of USINPAC in building relationships, as well as resolving issues, on behalf of the community is drawing an increasing number of concerned and well-meaning community leaders, who are all working to ensure that our elected leaders address issues concerning the Indian-American community. "USINPAC continues to work towards an enhanced understanding of US India relations. We are pleased to note that the Indian-American Diaspora is making significant contributions towards US India relations", said Robinder Sachdev, Director, USINPAC India Affairs.

INDIA'S GREEN REVOLUTION

Ambassador Mulford recalls US role

The food and agriculture sector will be critical component of expanded US-India trade and investment relations, and the United States has played an important role in advancing the growth of Indian agriculture, said US Ambassador to India, David Mulford. Speaking on April 16 to the Confederation of Indian Industry in Chandigarh, Mulford said the United States played an important role in India's "Green Revolution" of the 1960's. The Green Revolution reshaped India's agriculture sector through shared science, educational exchanges and applied agricultural technology, allowing the country to become self-sufficient in food production.

The Green revolution raised food grain production from 70 million tonne in 1954 to more than 200 million tonne in 2004, said Mulford, while the growth of the Agriculture sector caused rural poverty to decline from 60 percent in the late 1960's to 27 per cent in 2004.

Led by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of Agriculture, the United States "signed agreements to improve agricultural education and research in India, and to launch an extension service aimed at providing advice to farmers on new agricultural technologies and the state of the art practices," he said.

In partnership with five state agriculture universities in India, American universities sent educators and agriculture advisors to Indian and hosted Indian agricultural specialists where they learned firsthand about technologies used in productive farming, ranching and crop science. The United States also donated fertilizer, helped finance the building of fertilizer plants, developed electrical infrastructure in rural areas, and established irrigation systems, said Mulford. The collaboration "has yielded some of the dramatic results in the prosperity, and the United States is continuing its assistance," he said.

Recently, USAID funded several grants to focus on "next-generation issues in agriculture", he said, such as market diversification, value added agricultural products and the development of a food industries center. Mulford said the two countries are also seeking to facilitate bilateral trade and investment in areas of interest to the agricultural community, such as biotechnology. Both countries are working to ensure that India's agricultural economy will be prepared to meet the demand of its burgeoning population, he said.

"With political will , a strong civil society and unbridled private sector participation, robust growth sustained over a long period will advance the prosperity of India's people, reduce overall levels of poverty, integrate India more fully into the global economy, and allow India to emerge as a world power," said Mulford.

Source: PAO, US Consulate, Kolkata

April 20, 2004

USINPAC congratulates new Indian Prime Minister

THE US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) today congratulated Manmohan Singh, who was just sworn in as India’s prime minister, and pledged to continue to promote cooperation – both economic and strategic – between the United States and India.

Sanjay Puri, executive director of USINPAC, observed that Singh is well-qualified for the role he will now play. The Oxford-educated economist, who served as finance minister from 1991 to 1996, is widely credited with helping India to avoid an economic collapse in 1991, as well as with beginning the process of economic liberalism.

"As India continues its meteoric rise as a global economic power, Mr. Singh is in an excellent position to lead the nation," Puri commented. "His commitment to economic growth and private markets is unquestioned. But he also understands the importance of ensuring that all classes benefit from the Indian miracle."

Singh is India’s first non-Hindu prime minister. USINPAC sees his ascension as yet another sign that India is overcoming past sectarian strife to become a truly multi-cultural society, and an example of tolerance, as well as stability and growth, in the developing world.

Said Puri: "In India today, we have a lady born a Catholic (Mrs. Gandhi) stepping aside so a Sikh could be sworn in by a Muslim president to lead a nation that's 80 percent Hindu. I defy anyone to cite another country with such diversity in its political leadership."

USINPAC looks forward to working with the Singh government to combat AIDS in India and to strengthen the growing strategic relationship between America and India – so vital to the war on terrorism – as well as promoting the burgeoning trade between the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy.

May 24, 2004

Rep. Crowley hosts "Indian Policy Day"

ON June 2, 2004, Congressman Joe Crowley of New York – Democratic Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans – hosted Indian American Policy Day on Capitol Hill. The forum brought together legislators, opinion-makers and administration officials to explore developments in US-India bi-lateral relations and their importance to the peoples of both nations.

Sanjay Puri, Executive Director of USINPAC (US-India Political Action Committee) singled out Congressman Crowley for all the help he has given to the Indian American community. "I would like to thank Rep. Crowley for all he has done for the Indian Community," said Puri. "This is not just because he’s the chair of the House Indian Caucus, it's because he has truly been our best friend. He has consistently had great insight into what our community's concerns, expectations and aspirations are of our representatives in Congress."

Several members of Congress attended, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Congresswomen Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), and Nita Lowey (D-NY), and Congressmen Charles Rangel (D-NY), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Chris Bell (D-TX), Jim McDermott (D-WA), and John Lewis (D-GA).

Additional speakers included Ashok Sajjanhar from the Indian Embassy, K. Alan Kronstadt from the Congressional Research Service, Nicholas Dean from the US State Department, and Under Secretary of Commerce Kenneth I. Juster.

The event was especially important because of the election of a new government in India, and the growing importance of the Indian American community in this crucial election year.

June 2, 2004

US Senators join the US Senate India Caucus

THIRTY FIVE U.S. Senators Join the U.S. Senate India Caucus till June 8, 2004, according to an information released by US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC). The U.S. Senate India Caucus was officially launched on Thursday, April 29, 2004. This is the first time Senators have come together to promote ties between the United States and India and to focus on the concerns of the rapidly growing Indian American community. Speakers at the inaugural event included the Caucus co-chairs Senators Hillary Clinton and John Cornyn, as well as the Hon. Lalit Mansingh, India's Ambassador to the United States. This, feels USINPAC, is a recognition of both the growing strategic and economic importance of India to the United States (US exports to India are up at an annual rate of 24%) and the increasing political potency of the Indian American community, which grew 106% between 1990 and 2000.

Updated  on September 23, 2004