WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Top American and Indian leaders gathered Monday for the eighth annual U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit, spotlighting a shared vision of deepening economic, diplomatic, and people-to-people ties between the world’s oldest and largest democracies.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the Trump administration’s goal—shared by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi—of reaching $500 billion in bilateral trade. “We have a great relationship between our countries,” Lutnick said in a video clip posted to X “I’m optimistic for a trade deal soon that will benefit both nations.”
Business leader Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, echoed that sentiment, telling ANI that Secretary Lutnick “was very positive about the India-U.S. equation.” Birla added, “He talked about how Prime Minister Modi and President Trump are great friends, and that helps in doing things together between the two nations.”
The summit also honored three global executives with the 2025 Global Leadership Awards: Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM; Kumar Mangalam Birla of the Aditya Birla Group; and Toshiaki Higashihara, Executive Chairman of Hitachi, Ltd. The awards recognize their significant roles in fostering economic ties among the U.S., India, and Japan.
In a highlight of the evening, U.S. Second Lady Usha Vance took part in a fireside chat with USISPF Chairman John Chambers, sharing personal reflections on her Indian heritage and recent family visit to India. As the first Indian American Second Lady, Vance’s presence at the summit underscored the growing influence of Indian Americans in public life.
“This is a very personal relationship for me,” Vance said. “I have family in India and the U.S., and I grew up visiting both. More broadly, this is a time of great opportunity.”
Recalling her family’s recent visit to India, Vance described it as “the trip of a lifetime” for her three children, who met Prime Minister Modi. “They put him in the grandfather category. They loved him and hugged him,” she said. The visit included stops at historic sites in North India, including the Taj Mahal.
Born in San Diego to Indian-born parents, both scientists and university professors, Vance spoke candidly about her upbringing in a diverse community and her path from the West Coast to Yale Law School, where she met her husband, Vice President J.D. Vance. “We had followed radically different paths in life and converged in the same place,” she said. “We had so much in common.”
The summit, led by USISPF President & CEO Dr. Mukesh Aghi, is regarded as one of the premier annual gatherings on U.S.-India relations in Washington that convenes policymakers, CEOs, diplomats, lawmakers, and thought leaders committed to advancing bilateral cooperation.
