A Publication of the Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. April 2014 I India RevieI w Vol. 10 Issue 4 www.indianembassy.org Indian Ambassador to the US Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with US President Barack Obama at the Oval Office of the White House on March 10. Photo: The White House Ambassador presents his credentials to President Obama n India to emerge n Indian media to n Google offers largest aviation grow 14.2 percent, indoor maps in market in the world says a CII•study India Ambassador’s ENGAGEMENTS Ambassador presents credentials to US President mbassador of India to the United States, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar Apresented his credentials on March 10 to the President of the United States of America (USA) Barack H. Obama at the Oval Office of the White House. President Obama warmly wel - comed Ambassador Jaishankar to Washington and wished him success in his responsibilities as India’s next Ambassador to the United States. The President said that US and India could accomplish a lot together. Ambassador Jaishankar, in his remarks to President Obama, con - veyed warm greetings from the President and the Prime Minister of India to him and Mrs. Michelle Obama. Ambassador Jaishankar assured President Obama of his com - mitment to expand key pillars of the bilateral relationship including eco - nomic relations and trade ties, defense and security, energy, science and technology and global issues. Indian Ambassador Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with President Barack Obama. Photo: The White House Ambassador welcomes US move to include more Sikh in military mbassador of India, Dr. S. The large number of signatories to walks of life. The Sikh community's Jaishankar welcomed the this letter testifies to the important success in the United States is a Abipartisan Congressional letter role played by the Sikh community in source of pride for India and a pillar issued on March 10, 2014 to the U.S. the United States and its various of the India-U.S. partnership.” Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel Speaking of the contributions of the urging the Department of Defense to THE LETTER WAS ISSUED TO Sikh community in India, Ambassador promote inclusion of Sikh communi - Jaishankar noted, “India takes pride in ty members in the U.S. Armed Forces US SECRETARY OF DEFENSE being the cradle of Sikhism. The Sikh by modernizing appearance regula - CHUCK HAGEL URGING HIM community is an intrinsic part of tions that allow them to wear turbans India's multi-religious and pluralistic and maintain beards. TO PROMOTE INCLUSION OF fabric. Sikhs have made India proud 2 The letter is authored by with their sacrifices, achievements and Congressmen Joe Crowley (D-NY) SIKH MEMBERS IN THE US leadership. India's Sikh sons and and Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), ARMED FORCES BY daughters have held the highest offices and signed by over a hundred in the land and have served at the high - Members of Congress. MODERNIZING APPEARANCE est ranks including at Four Star ranks In a statement following the letter's in the Indian military. The tremendous release, Ambassador Jaishankar said, REGULATIONS THAT ALLOW progress and prosperity they have “The Congressional initiative is an THEM TO WEAR TURBANS achieved, and their enormous contri - important step towards upholding the bution to their motherland, speak vol - cultural and religious rights of the AND MAINTAIN BEARDS. umes about their indefatigable spirit of Sikh community in the United States. enterprise and diligence.” April 2014 India Review Ambassador’s ENGAGEMENTS Photo album of Ambassador’s meetings 1 2 3 3 4 5 1. Ambassador Dr. S. Jaishankar with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida on March 3. 2. Ambassador with Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut on March 5. 3. Ambassador with the CEOs of Indian companies in the U.S. at a round table meeting of the CII India Business Forum at the Embassy on March 27. 4. On March 28, the US welcomed an Indian delegation to discuss India-U.S. relations with a specific focus on East Asia. The Indian Delegation included MEA Joint Secretaries Guatam Bambawale, Vikram Doraiswami, Ambassador Dr. S. Jaishankar and DCM Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The delegation was met on the U.S. side by Assistant Secretary Russell, Assistant Secretary Biswal and Admiral Lockler. (Photo: U.S. Department of State) 5. Ambassador Dr. S. Jaishankar meeting with House Minority Whip, Congressman Steny Hoyer of Maryland on March 30. April 2014 India Review Bilateral EVENTS India-US energy dialogue meeting India and the United States affirm that both countries have a strong commitment to collaborating on energy and promoting greater technological innovation he India-U.S. Energy Dialogue was held in New Delhi on March 11. The TDialogue was co-chaired by Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, and Dr. Ernest Moniz, Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy. The Energy Dialogue is part of the broader Indo-U.S. Strategic Dialogue. The Energy Dialogue was launched in May 2005 with the last meeting held in September 2012 in Washington DC. Secretary Moniz led the U.S. delega - tion comprising of senior officials from the Department of Energy and various national laboratories. At the end of the meeting, India and the United States affirmed that both countries had a strong commitment to collaborating on energy and promoting greater technological innovation, sci - entific collaboration, trade, research and development, deploying environ - ment-friendly technologies and prod - ucts, and promoting sound regulatory frameworks to deliver energy solutions Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia with Dr. Ernest Moniz, US for sustainable growth. Energy Secretary during the meeting. Officials from the two sides held meetings from March 5 to March 11 agreed to significantly increase collab - co-chairs expressed satisfaction at the and reviewed the full range of cooper - oration under the Partnership to progress made in the energy sector ation under the U.S.–India Energy Advance Clean Energy (PACE) for through the co-operative process. Dialogue. deployment, research and develop - They directed the members of the The co-chairs of the dialogue, Dr. ments in clean energy. working groups to continue their Ahluwalia, and Secretary Moniz dis - The PACE program has already efforts, especially in the newer areas of cussed progress made by the working mobilized public and private resources mutual interest. Dr Ahluwalia briefed groups in renewable energy and new to support clean energy research and the Secretary, Energy about the India technologies, cooperation in shale gas, accelerate the deployment of clean Energy Security Scenarios, 2047 and 4 LNG imports, energy efficiency and energy technologies, policies and prac - presented him a copy of the document. low carbon technologies. tices among others. The Planning Commission Deputy The members from the U.S-India The India-U.S. Dialogue is an ongo - Chairman asked the U.S. side to study virtual Joint Clean Energy Research ing program, and new initiatives such the hypotheses of this energy scenario- and Development Center (JCERDC) as forecasting air conditioning building exercise, and welcomed any also highlighted their progress in solar, demand, improving efficiency for comments on it. advanced bio-fuels, and energy effi - space cooling and the PEACE The US Energy Secretary thanked ciency research projects under PACE- (Promoting Energy Access through the Deputy Chairman for hosting the R, a unique program for funding joint Clean Energy) initiative were launched U.S. energy team, and looked forward research by Indian and US institutes. in 2013. to collaboration between the two In the year 2009, the U.S. and India In their concluding remarks, the two countries. April 2014 India Review Bilateral EVENTS US-India business successes highlighted Economic successes of three US corporations in India and three Indian companies in the US were highlighted at an event organized on Capitol Hill 5 he Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the U.S.- India Business Council T(USIBC) on March 27 host - ed several members of Congress, busi - ness executives, and friends of India for a packed event, “Success Stories in the U.S.-India Partnership” on Capitol Hill. The event highlighted the eco - nomic successes of three U.S. corpora - tions in India and three Indian compa - Above: Seated from left: Madhu Vuppuluri, Chairman, CII India Business Forum USA and CEO, Essar nies in the US. Americas; Rep Joe Crowley (NY), Co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans; Dr. S. Jaishankar, Ambassador of India to the US; Rep Pete Olson (TX); Ron Somers, President, USIBC House India Caucus Co-chair and Rep Ami Bera (CA). Below: A section of the audience Representative Joseph Crowley (NY) offered remarks along with Ambassador Jaishankar said he was that investment to go above $3 billion if Congressmen Pete Olson (TX), Ami optimistic about the future of the state permits come through. Bera (CA), and Rick Nolan (MN). India-U.S. partnership. He pointed out Mahindra recently celebrated the Indian Ambassador to the US Dr. S. that trade investments have grown 20th anniversary of their U.S. opera - Jaishankar delivered the keynote three times since 2005. tions. With investments in California, address and Kapil Sharma, Senior The panel discussion featured Georgia, Kansas, Pennsylvania, General Manager, Tata Sons moderat - Madhu Vuppuluri, CEO, Essar Tennessee and Texas, Mahindra has ed a panel discussion with representa - Americas; Steve Biegun, Vice created