Ambassador Vardhan Shringla here to give remarks today. I am going to start with a few housekeeping items to introduce the ambassador, 1520 minutes and then move to a moderated discussion including getting q a from the audience. We would like to leave some time to make this interactive discussion. We do have some heritage products in the us relationship. This has been a big priority for the Heritage Foundation, for myself, for the Us Government and released navigating differences and consolidated which look at the reelection reviewed some of the progress, some of the remarkable progress made in the first term and what we can expect in terms of opportunities and also challenges. Here at heritage we will be organizing a big conference on india us relations, partnership with the Research Foundation and independent think tank and stay tuned, several members of congress under parliament from india, expecting a big impact for that conference. And also, india us israel trilateral Strategic Dialogue at heritage in november. We have a longrunning dialogue in 2013 which is held in australia. A book chapter coming out on India Security partnerships in Southeast Asia with the rand corporation, another book chapter coming out, china strategic triangle for the china india relations. We are doing this for the organization, for myself and the Us Government. This is one of the partnerships of the 21st century. Today we are going to not be talking about us relations as much. A frequent topic of interest here. The priorities of the governments second term, a region in particular to develop strategies and foreignpolicy more broadly, and to do so with an extremely extreme speaker, i have seen ambassador Vardhan Shringla in action, incredibly wellinformed and incredibly experienced. He is a member of the Indian Foreign Service Since 1984, 34 in service, high commissioner of india to bangladesh, ambassador of india to thailand and previously served as joint secretary, director general responsible for bangladesh and head of the United Nations subdivisions, ministry of external affairs and served in various posts in vietnam, israel and south africa. In addition to the english and indian languages several indian languages, ambassador Vardhan Shringla speaks french, the enemies enable these and nepalese. With that i will turn the floor over to you and hear what the priorities are. Thank you. [applause] good morning to all of our friends. I am very happy to be here at the Heritage Foundation, an organization that is very longstanding and excellent cooperation. I was also very happy to meet with the Vice President of the foundation and i would like to thank the Heritage Foundation in particular for hosting me today and it gives me even greater pleasure to know that this session is being moderated by someone who is considered one of the foremost experts. Thank you very much for agreeing to host this session. In your introduction you used angelic three times and i hope i can live up to that hyper. Thank you once again. The topic is a broad one. It seems to cover everything. What i will try to do is put matters in perspective and try to get used to relate my own experiences, in three Different Countries come we mentioned thailand, bangladesh. When you talk about modern policy, for every state foreignpolicy determined by National Interest, in india, it is National Interest above all. It is not new because this is something dangerous but what the government has done is given a much sharper focus to bring foreignpolicy in much closer alignment to the priorities of the government and if you do find foreignpolicy under the dhi government, it would be to create a sustainable environment that would enable you to get the best conditions for National Development and this could be achieved by providing peace and security, garnering access to technology, best practices and of course investment and contributing in a consecutive manager to the global debate and gender on matters of interest and all of this underpins ready for your own one of the reasons it was brought into focus, in the foreign service, to orient ourselves with seeing how we contribute that variety. The term, it really means, to ensure to the development strategy. And initiatives, whether it is a smart program. The best possible link between the country you represent and your priorities. I want to put it in perspective. One of the things that happens when modhi came to office was although we had a robust engagement there were many countries that despite our best efforts we were not able to engage. There were 40 countries that had never been visited by a senior official litigation in a long time. A priority was determined to make sure without engagement and the first term of office, the government of india insured a visit of a minister, 192 countries and the United Nations. Those that wouldnt be visited, micronesia and central africa, not lack of intent, but one hundred 92 countries of which the Prime Minister insists, if you look at those 58 countries, major partners in the United States, china, russia, the United Kingdom but also in japan, off the beaten track, visited fiji which as you know, Pacific Islandss, in mongolia. And an organization, with Pacific Islands countries. And meeting with the government. With the African Union for the first time almost 54 government came to india. We had the government on one location with their relationship. These are unprecedented efforts in the International Community and significant areas that i would say, reaching out to africa, a very strong effort to reach out to the muslim world. I will come to that. The fact that the Prime Minister, Record Number of countries, islamic countries, notably in the gulf, quite a departure from the normal visits abroad. And recognize that our relationship with countries like saudi arabia and other countries, saudi arabia concurred the highest Division Award to our Prime Minister. The highest at the same time Prime Minister modhi was the first to visit the state of israel and Benjamin Netanyahu was the first is really Prime Minister. There is no contradiction. All countries recognize maintaining the best relation, to ensure they remain at the bilateral level. At the same time i think for the first time in 50 years india was invited to the organization of islamic countries at their meeting, the conference, this is as i said, the last time they attended the meeting. From what im trying to illustrate his this outreach is not just unprecedented but very focused in ensuring it is directed to areas we might have neglected and not delivered the priority. On the other side diplomacy for development, the effort is led by the Prime Minister because of these meetings with investors outside of india. In sweden, meets the scandinavian investors so wherever he goes, make sure the economic variety, that has been useful because the last 5 years we attracted 460 billion of investments in our country and that will continue. In support of important priorities. The United States has been a major partner in that regard. A major partner in the social and Economic Transformation of india, in other words, a lot of support for our programs has come from the United States inform of investments, technology transfer, creating employment, sustainable development. Creation the industrial core door, the digital program, metros across cities, metro projects, in most of these schemes the United States is involved on a government government basis or through private the outreach effort is commensurate in terms of the return and this, in singapore, investing in national investment, saudi arabia and sovereignty funds or the uaes fund coming into investments, Infrastructure Development and also deliberately very pronounced. There are a few policy initiatives and a lot of them relate to our own neighborhood or extended neighborhood. For every extended country it is vital your foreignpolicy focus on the environment around you. If you dont have proper outreach to your own neighborhood, it is complete, manager relations with other parties, international partners. In that context, Prime Minister modhis policies have been in effect and in that time in terms of seeing it and this is underpinned, there was a feeling when the government came in when Prime Minister modhi came into august, we had been looking for a long time, the commentator was seen, that priority. An important part of our orientation particularly the focus to strategy in that policy initiatives. The third aspect of this, the indo pacific area, our immediate neighborhood and extended neighborhood, Indo Pacific Strategy covers the same area from the United States and i think it is from hollywood to hollywood around the hollywood to hollywood essentially what he meant as it turns from the us to india. Beyond that to the shores of africa. It is part of the standard improvement and when we talk about our immediate neighborhood our priorities are different. One of the slogans which means development, this was something we brought in within the country, which means you make sure it is inclusive, not just inclusive but take everybody with you and we applied it, if they are not moving as fast, development, prosperity, then you have a problem because the nature of our borders gave us such that whatever happens will be happening in your country that is an avoided. And if you have islands of lack of development, take the case of bangladesh, bangladesh is a country where we share a 1000 km border in the United States and mexico. It is a porous border that allows a moment where people displace the best efforts to make sure and to ensure longterm business in dealing with issues that concern india and bangladesh and that had to be supported and one of the major areas we could do it was to invest in development and today we have 10 million in bangladesh. In the last we 10 years deliverers of Economic Development, rate of unemployment, of great satisfaction to us and that has benefited enormously so clearly addressing the issues between our two countries, illegal immigration or other issues relating to economic disparities. Not as they were several years ago, at the level which is among the highest and i think that policy, bangladeshs development has seen development, and also the resurgence of trade, investment, tourism that has rejuvenated our economies so it has that sense. Between india and thailand, that will provide a terrestrial route between india is something the transport project to take a role that in me and mark, access to the sea, not east of india but access to the sea through myanmar and bangladesh, would be a game changer in the development of the part of india but has not gone as far and that is because the economic opportunities, immediate a state that produces coal, bamboo, and it is below the hill of bangladesh, not further to the rest of india. As we integrate, invest in development of partners and neighbors it is something we are seeing. When we talk about that, it is an open, transparent, inclusive 3 billion we would like to see in conformity with our own values and ideas and we broke with it is not a concept that is exclusive to the concept that was inclusive. We want everybody to be part of something that we are already pursuing in the long course. In the indo pacific region, what does that mean . It means in march this year there was a major hurricane in mozambique on the eastern coast of africa. Our ships were the first to reach to provide medicine, food. In indonesia when there was a tsunami and earthquake, to provide relief and medicine. When the maltese were suffering a water shortage, to provide drinking water, when bangladesh had an influx of 400,000 refugees in a month or two, immediate assistance to meet the emergency. There was a similar hurricane, cyclone. What im trying to say is a country that is situated, that had easy access to many countries that are affected by words it is a shipping area like joint importance to close in that territory. These are areas that initiated in other countries and also looking at Economic Development and cooperation even beyond the immediate neighborhood. The initiative is essentially for countries between the tropics of capricorn and cancer, these dont have the resources or technology or capacity or knowhow. We in india have a selfdeclared objective for Energy Requirements through nonpositive sources of energy by 2030. We want to make sure we have the intention of changing our energy capacity, 75 giga watts of already been. We want to work with others in ensuring they have the capacity and has been so successful that it is no longer confined to those countries. Every country has been invited to join this effort, a large number of countries in the un Member States that are part of this between us and other organizers up to 11 2 trillion in providing this capacity all over the world. These are some examples of what people do on a global basis. We have a major Climate Change conference in the United Nations. The Prime Minister is the guest of honor in that particular conference. The recognition of our own contribution to make sure there is International Activity which seeks to do something. It is not enough to talk about it, enough to see that there is the inherent danger of Climate Change that will affect our lives but there is the will to do something. We start with ourselves, expand to other countries and make sure there is enough of an effort and support to meet their own so i know probably on my time. It is better to take a pause here. [inaudible conversations] i wanted to first really just touching off a point you made about the indo pacific and ask, we hear a lot about the Indo Pacific Strategy in the us that india has come to embrace the concept of the indo pacific and talk about it being free and open and i wanted to get your thoughts. Is there any real divergence between the two visions . We dont share the same Indo Pacific Strategy but when you break down the underlying principles they look similar to me. I the us and india on the same page when it comes to promoting a vision . Theres a lot more work that has to be done in development and the basic principles of that concept are the same. To be a region that on principle, the basis on which you yourself exist. And that there is international, rules and laws governing, dispute you may have. And open skies policies, a transparent system of development, expanding connectivity. It is a question, how this concept had to work in this manner. It is inclusive. Not directed, and we got those as much as possible. And help others. At the risk of closing and insurrection in the audience we are not going to make this q a session about commissioner but given the prevalence of this in the news cycle i want to give you an opportunity to offers and thoughts on recent developments over the past 24 hours but captured the attention. With their own councils and administrative a decision which seeks to ensure that we provide governance and the socioeconomic benefits disadvantaged sections of the population, to ensure any disparities are taken into account. At the end of the day, is something that has been has not been a new concept. It is something that does not touch upon an effect, and an impact on our relationship, it is an internal matter. There has also been, some of us would have seen the debates in parliament to expand what i mentioned about Good Governance and socioeconomic benefits. We have seen a lot of the development in the center has been very dangerous very generous. Very garnered or exploited by a group, connected at that state. Converting this, to ensure that those, to address these issues with many of the issues affecting this economically you need to ensure the development funds, that need it. This is something you prioritize and channel and the organizations the second is private investments because of constraining features of the existing articles, 370, 305b, which preclude wholesale investments with the development of that. Through the chamber of commerce, through economic vehicles that mobilize private investment funding. We will see a great deal of change for the better. And the benefit of the younger section that would see a much Brighter Future through the organization of states. What i want in 1947, the notion on the basis of religion, pakistan is on the basis of division, became an Islamic Republic but that notion too was predicted when bangladesh broke with peace talks and became a separate country, a secular country, a country that avoids this happily with hindus, christians, i think the notion of the creation of states based on religion is something we dont see, Secular Democratic republic, we believe in freedom of all religions and therefore the fact that estate which is linked to a minority is something that goes against the basic principles of the constitution and the ideas we believe in. The legislation to do away with the archaic practice which meant under the muslim court in india the indian personal laws were based on religion, and some of these laws, many of the islamic countries have done away with it and so the government of Prime Minister modhi came out and supported by parliament to do away with it which meant a husband and a muslim family, his wife is divorced. So obviously in modern society this is no longer acceptable. The basic principle is it is an internal matter, the decision is good for the people in terms of Good Governance, socioeconomic justice and benefits and it does not in any way have any bearing on our relations with any other state and over time we will see a decision that is to the benefit of the very people that impacts. Thank you. One more question before moving to the audience. If you put speak a little better opportunities and challenges in india us relations moving forward, the Eternal Optimist on india us relations, we had remarkable progress during Prime Minister modhis first term but i recognize there is now a set of challenges on trade, on sanctions that is arguably more formidable than those we have been facing in the past ten years. We have done a good job managing those. They are still there. I wonder as you look forward, what do you see as the Biggest Challenges and opportunities for india us relations . Today india us relations are in many senses represent an enviable situation. We have a comprehensive partnership that has political, strategic, it involves strong economic dimensions and it is one that developed very quickly over the last 10 or 15 years and a situation that strong traction of relationship among the people, democracies that is an important factor. Support for the people of both our countries, that keeps us we of course understand this relationship should not be seen in the short term perspective but the longterm perspective, not just 5 years in or 50 years on the line. Obviously the basic ingredients, the factor that contributes up there. We believe we share the same values and ideas and, the relationship will move forward to some of the ones along the way. We see the relationship has one that should be seen in a longterm perspective and many of these issues may arise as you go along. One of the issues, to recalibrate, not just india but countries across the globe. We are happy to engage in that effort. He would ask the ministers can send to meet and the that meeting would enable us to reach a conclusion. As you go along, no doubt the mechanisms and required will to address issues but the important thing is the music partnership. It has to be the momentum of the partnership has sustained and seen in a longterm perspective and one that has a basis on which we can save this. We could grab 2 or 3 questions. Start here on the way back. Good morning. Im current dod contractor, and Heritage Foundation. At the risk of stirring the pot i want to ask questions on pakistan. To be sincere and this to root out corruption and reform as governments. That being said do you think he has growing ability to reign in the eye as i particularly a closer relationship with the terrorist organization . I am a reporter with inside us trade in washington. With relation to the india relationship i would if you comment on their participation in the conference of Economic Partnership and whether you think india will participate in that by the end of this year . A third in the back. Cliff smith. I wonder if you could comment on islam yous role in the violence in kashmir, people removed from leadership of mosques. What you saw the rollout and how you saw the us and europe as part of that in terms of things of that nature. Lets start with the easy ones, pakistan. Our position has always been, whatever we talk about in terms of the efforts to develop a new approach to the issues related to pakistan, what is important is the actions, those actions, one of the main issues that affect the United States and india, we believe those actions, verifiable and those that are in the longterm system, when we talk about steps that are taken we need to make sure they are steps that can be over a certain period of time verified as being serious, credible steps. And i think a similar issue, clearly there have been concerns on issues of terrorist fundings. Very concerned that pakistan has been on the green list, not taking steps, these are the serious things that need to be addressed. To be satisfied that the steps on the ground through legislation, through actions are credible and verifiable to enable the International Community to believe there is a new approach towards longstanding problems of terrorism affecting not just india, afghanistan and the United States and the rest of the world, we have to see how that goes. As far as our ship is concerned this it is important to bring that into india and south korea, japan and we do believe that this is an area where we are keen to see a certain outcome. A few days ago, we were hopeful for the satisfactory outcome that could benefit the trading relationships for all these countries. Hi, ambassador. Thank you for a wonderful talk. My question ties in with jeffs question about strategy and convergences in the United States and my specific question is indias effort to de8 the court. The United States sees it as a backup. How do you think the two countries will reconcile this nuanced difference . My name is row and im an intern. I wonder if you could comment on what steps being taken to retain top indian talent within the country and to keep them there, especially the collegeeducated. I am from nepal. My question, you talked about neighborhood policy and development. For instance the case of nepal. India explores more than it does to russia or australia. It doesnt feature here in the report. My question, the deficit is very large and make sense for these countries to try to have transaction with china. China had an opportunity. At this moment it seems the government isnt doing anything on that. My question is zeroing in on this. Thank you very much. One final in the back. Thank you. My name is dimitri. I wonder if you could talk about indias relationship with russia, thank you. Let me begin by this time taking a particular question on top indian talent and the concept of ranging we used a it but if you permit i will go back a few years and this is a story many of my colleagues i used to be attached to the education minister. He was drafting the education policy. It was a long time back and i asked him. So many of our best minds were educated in the best institutions in india, many institutions. A major brain drain, something we should do something to address and an interesting reply he gave. He said we are not in the business of restricting people. The economy doesnt have the capacity to involve so many people of that capacity. And there will be a time when people come back and bring their knowledge back. Who are providing technology and many of them also sharing their expertise. We have a program which encourages and challenges some of the highly educated people to go back to india and to teach, to share their knowledge. That program if you are so it has a phd and a certain area, which is institute of which is the means by which you can really contribute. That program is a very active program, and i think it contributes. We have our science and technology, the point person in her embassy to look at such, helping are rather thinking of people with talent and go back and contribute. Please feel free to get in touch. For us, the other day we had a very useful seminar, 35 postdoctoral fellows who are undergoing the program here. We had the director general of the Indian Medical Council center as well as the dean of research. But then walked them through where they could possibly contribute, you know, the area they contribute. Where in india they could go and make that difference. And so thats a good question and we are receptive to what you ask them to see how we can be of help. The question about the indopacific well, look, i mean, members of the court and the court is a concept that is still developing, it is still a group that is meeting on areas where we have, interest and common projects come, development. It was never a part of the indopacific. The indopacific is different. I dont think that you are really exactly on the same lets say page when it comes to strategies. And as i said, again these are being developed so its early in the game. But dont think there are any difference with the u. S. And categorizing where these different concepts are coming. Let me move on to the question on nepal. Nepal is one of our closest neighbors, one of the most important countries of which we have relationship. I think its a relationship that is so special that we dont need to met the needs since can work in india. I know a very large number of citizens in the fall are employed particularly in the army where mainly consist of personnel drawn from [inaudible] there is a trade pacific pacife i think nepal takes a lot of its interest from india. It does that mean that will continue. The solution is for more investment, more joint ventures, more creation in the fall, and to work together, to provide the basis by which the pauls own potential can increase. And i think one way we are doing it through hydroelectric that is being jointly developed. We are developing three bodies. These will bring benefits to both countries. These are mutually beneficial products. We are developing hydroelectric capacity down the river that are not environmentally damaging. They contribute 70 of revenue. We developing another 3000. Similarly with the pahpa capacity we develop for Hydroelectric Energy which couldve been done when i was dealing with nepal in 1997 we signed an agreement, and i think if that would have been realized today we would be in a different story but we still i think the basis of is that and we can still cooperate to have partnership that is mutually beneficial. Use the resources that you have to the benefit of both countries, and the think no better way than hydroelectric power. Greater connectivity, joint venture. But with regard to russia, yes, of course, russia has always been an important partner of india. We have a strong relationship which is based on people to people contacts, based on there was a time in which there was a major impact on russia. It brought us closer together. Subsequently of course will and just in energy is very major aspect of our partnership, and i think it goes without saying that historically theres been a close relationship, and that relationship certainly is underpinned by the strong ties that will continue over time. Thank you very much. Id like to ask the audience to join me [applause] thanking the ambassador for really a Tour De Force through the Modi Government priorities on development. Another take you to the ambassador, thank you to the audience for taking time out of your day to spend this with us. If remain interested in india and india u. S. Relationships, stay tuned because theres more to come. Thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] coming up the Senate Cybersecurity caucus looks at some of the cyber risks and threats facing the u. S. Health care industry. Thats live at 12 30 p. M. Eastern on cspan2. Cspan has live coverage of the 2020 president of candidates at the iowa state fair starting thursday at 1 45 p. M. Eastern with montana governor Steve Bullock followed by former Vice President joe biden. Washington journal announcer continues. Host this is the chief this is julie rovner, chief washington correspondent for Kaiser Health news here to talk about at theme that emerged from the debate last week, medicare for all versus the public option. How would you define those things . Guest medicare for all which is what some democrat seven running on for years now with basically in three take the Medicare Program thats very popular that serves about 60 million seniors and people with disabilities and expanded are doing. In practice thats not what medicare for all would do. It would createha a new more Generous Program that might or might not be called