CFR and Aspen Institute India Collaborate on U.S.-India “Vital National Interests” Dialogue

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Aspen Institute India announced the formation of the U.S.-India Joint Group on shared national interests.  The group—composed of former government officials and scholars from both countries—is co-chaired by Robert D. Blackwill, former U.S. ambassador to India and CFR senior fellow, and Naresh Chandra, former Indian ambassador to the United States and chairman of India’s National Security Advisory Board.

The group will provide policy recommendations in seven areas: the rise of Chinese power, the status of Pakistan, the future of Afghanistan, ongoing changes in the Middle East, opportunities for global and bilateral economic cooperation, joint efforts on climate change and technology development, and possibilities for defense cooperation. Findings will be released following the concluding meeting in September.

Members from the United States:

- Graham T. Allison, director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University; former assistant secretary of defense

- Dennis C. Blair, former director of national intelligence; former commander-in-chief of U.S. Pacific Command

- Richard N. Haass, CFR president; former director of policy planning at the State Department

- Stephen J. Hadley, senior adviser to the United States Institute of Peace; former national security adviser

- John D. Podesta, president and chief executive officer, Center for American Progress; former White House chief of staff

- Ashley Tellis, senior associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; former senior director on the National Security Council staff; former senior adviser at the State Department

- Philip Zelikow, professor, University of Virginia; former counselor at the State Department; former executive director of the 9/11 Commission

Members from India:

- K. Shankar Bajpai, founding chairman, Delhi Policy Group; former Indian ambassador to the United States

- Sanjaya Baru, editor, Business Standard; former media adviser and spokesperson for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

- Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, foreign editor, Hindustan Times

- P. S. Das, former commander-in-chief, Indian Navy Eastern Naval Command

- Tarun Das, president, Aspen Institute India; former chief executive of the Confederation of Indian Industry

- Jamshyd N. Godrej, chairman and managing director of Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company Ltd.

- Brajesh Mishra, former national security adviser and principal secretary to Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee

- C. Raja Mohan, strategic affairs editor, Indian Express

For more information, contact CFR Communications at 212.434.9888 or [email protected], or Aspen Institute India at +91.124.421.8619 in New Delhi.

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