WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Canada is increasingly becoming a sought-after destination for H-1B visa holders affected by layoffs in the US tech sector. The Canadian government launched a three-year open work permit scheme on July 16th, providing a path to employment for up to 10,000 US-based H-1B visa holders. Over 6,000 have already taken advantage of this opportunity, prompting the closure of the application process. The H-1B visa, highly sought by international students for post-education work in the US, suffered setbacks due to tech layoffs. Major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google announced significant staff reductions, giving H-1B holders a 60-day ultimatum to leave, transfer visas, or find new sponsors. In response, Canada’s three-year work permit scheme, launched in July, provided with a timely alternative, offering them the opportunity to move to Canada for employment. As of October, more than 6,000 laid-off H-1B visa holders have been granted permits, contributing to Canada’s flourishing tech industry, which has outpaced the US in talent growth by over 11% between 2020 and 2022. Meanwhile, the US Department of Homeland Security is considering changes to the H-1B visa scheme.
Tag: Washington
-
Indian-origin diplomat nominated by Joe Biden as US ambassador to Indonesia
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Indian-origin diplomat Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir has been appointed by President Joe Biden as US Ambassador to Indonesia. Lakhdhir, who has served the State Department for almost 30 years, is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, and was most recently Executive Secretary of the Department of State, the White House said. Her father, Noor, immigrated to the US from Mumbai to attend the University of California, Berkeley in the 1940s.
A Harvard graduate and an M.S. from the National War College, Lakhdhir had formerly served as an ambassador to Malaysia from 2017 to 2021. Prior to that, Lakhdhir served as US Consul General in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 2009 to 2011.
She joined the Foreign Service in 1991 and has served as Director of the Office of Maritime Southeast Asian Affairs, which includes responsibility for US relations with Indonesia.
Early in her career, she was Deputy Coordinator of the Taiwan Coordination Staff in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Her other overseas assignments included China, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, the statement added.
Lakhdhir grew up in Westport, Connecticut, and was inspired to pursue an international career because of her parents, she said in an interview published in the National Museum of American Diplomacy. She said her “international career began as a child” due to her parents’ rich international background and family trips abroad.
These experiences encouraged Lakhdhir to begin her career overseas as a teacher in China for two years after graduating from Harvard College in 1986. -
US Senator moves resolution on ‘religious bias’ in India: Wants govt to push New Delhi to take action
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US Senator Tammy Baldwin has introduced a resolution in the Senate, urging the Biden administration to engage with India to “reverse” its policies that allegedly discriminate on the basis of religion and push for an end to violence against peaceful protesters in the country. “Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, and when any country infringes on it, the United States must stand up and speak out,” Senator Tammy Baldwin said in a statement after introducing the resolution this week.
“I am calling on the United States to continue pushing the government of India to reverse course on the systematic religious and political persecution that is endangering and disenfranchising innocent civilians,” she said.
India has previously trashed “motivated” and “biased” reports by the US State Department on religious freedom that criticized the country for alleged attacks on minorities.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in May this year such reports continue to be based on “misinformation and flawed understanding”.
The resolution urges the government to engage with the Indian government to end the persecution of, and violence against, religious minorities and human rights defenders in India, and work to reverse government policies that discriminate against Muslims and Christians on the basis of faith. It also calls for an end to the demolition of homes, businesses, and places of worship belonging to Muslims and Christians.
Welcoming the resolution, Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council, said rising social conflict and democratic backslide in India will weaken and not strengthen India’s relevance as a global bulwark against anti-democratic forces.
(Source: PTI) -
Mike Johnson elected speaker of US House of Representatives
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Republican Congressman from Louisiana Mike Johnson has been elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, bringing an end to three weeks of uncertainty in US politics. He is the 56th Speaker of the Chamber.
The position of Speaker of the House of Representatives is one of the most powerful political chairs in the country and is third in the line of succession after the US President.
Johnson on Wednesday October 25, was elected by 220 to 209 votes in a bitterly divided Congress, three weeks after his predecessor Kevin McCarthy was unceremoniously voted out of the seat for the first time in US history. In the 435-member House, the Republicans hold a slender majority with 221 seats against 212 of the Democrats.
The 56th Speaker of the House of Representatives, Johnson, 51, a lawyer by profession, is a four-term Congressman from the Fourth Congressional District of Louisiana.
In his maiden address to the Congress, Speaker Johnson said his first legislative agenda would be to bring a resolution in support of Israel, a country that was hit by a terrorist attack by Hamas early this month. “We are going to show not only Israel but the entire world that the barbarism of Hamas that we have seen play out on our television screens is wretched and wrong,” he said.
“We want our allies around the world to know that this body of lawmakers is reporting again to our duty stations. Let the enemies of freedom around the world hear us loud and clear: The people’s house is back in business,” Johnson said. However, his main challenge at hand would be to avoid a government shutdown by passing the spending bill and approving the USD100 billion request by President Joe Biden to fund the war in Israel and Ukraine.
Johnson, whose candidature was supported by former president Donald Trump, said that he would propose a short-term measure to fund the government through January 15 or April 15.
“So, at this time yesterday, nobody was thinking of Mike and then we put out the word and now he’s speaker of the House, so I wanted to thank all of the supporters that I have and I want to thank all of the supporters Mike has, and again he will be a great speaker,” Trump said after the election of the new speaker.
In his speech, Johnson indicated that he is getting down to business immediately. “The American people’s business is too urgent at this moment,” he said.
“We’re in the majority right now. We’ve gone through a little bit of suffering. We’ve gone through a little bit of character building. And, you know what it’s produced? More strength, more perseverance, and a lot of hope. And that’s what we are about to deliver to the American people,” Johnson said, adding that he would have an aggressive schedule in the days and weeks ahead. US President Joe Biden said he is looking forward to working with the Speaker Johnson.
According to the White House, this afternoon, Biden called Johnson to congratulate him on his election, and expressed that he looks forward to working together to find common ground on behalf of the American people “While House Republicans spent the last 22 days determining who would lead their conference, I have worked on those pressing issues, proposing a historic supplemental funding package that advances our bipartisan national security interests in Israel and Ukraine, secures our border, and invests in the American people. These priorities have been endorsed by leaders in both parties,” Biden said in a statement.
“We need to move swiftly to address our national security needs and to avoid a shutdown in 22 days. Even though we have real disagreements about important issues, there should be mutual effort to find common ground wherever we can,” he said.
(Source: PTI) -
Artificial Intelligence company from Silicon Valley enters Bihar
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A Silicon Valley-based Artificial Intelligence company has opened an office in Bihar, making it the first IT company from the US to enter the state.
Tiger Analytics, headquartered in Santa Clara, has opened its first office in Patna this month. “We are hoping that the initial step that we are taking, can lead to a lot of progress down the road,” Mahesh Kumar, founder and CEO of Tiger Analytics, told PTI in a recent interview. The company currently has some 4,000 employees in India, but they are mostly in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Kumar, who is himself from Bihar, said during the COVID crisis a large number of its employees went back home to Bihar and started working remotely. “We have close to a hundred people between Bihar and Jharkhand right now. They’re working remotely and they were happy there, they didn’t want to come back,” he said.
“So, we realized that they’re very good talented people, young people, they want to stay close to home but there are no opportunities in Bihar for them to work. Even when we set up this office (in Patna), a lot of social media responses came. People are looking forward to Tiger (Analytics) growing there (in Bihar) so they can go back and work from there,” Kumar said.
Kumar, who interacts with other successful entrepreneurs from Bihar in Silicon Valley regularly, said their goal is to encourage more like-minded people to come together and use it as an initial seed to grow a bigger no ecosystem in Bihar. Tiger Analytics is primarily a consulting company in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
“We hope that taking this lead into account, many more companies will come to Bihar in the same way,” Sandeep Poundrik, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Industries, Bihar told PTI. A delegation of senior Bihar officials travelled to Silicon Valley this summer for meetings with Bihar-origin successful tech entrepreneurs.
“We are trying to get IT companies to start their operations in Bihar. …. . It’s not a very easy task, especially because right now there are not many IT companies in Bihar,” said Poundrik who is also CEO of the Bihar Foundation, a state government-supported body for its diaspora community. Thousands of engineering students from Bihar currently seek opportunities outside the state due to the limited presence of IT companies within Bihar, he said. Responding to a question, Poundrik acknowledged that it’s a little more challenging to attract investment in Bihar in the IT sector. “Number one…. I would say their perception of Bihar is not very positive, especially outside India. Because they have never heard of Patna or Bihar. So if any IT company wants to start their unit, they only think about Chennai, Bangalore or Hyderabad. They never think about Bihar,” he said.
“Second, I think the market is not local as far as IT is concerned. We have created the infrastructure. So in addition to whatever infrastructure the government has created for startups and IT companies, there’s a lot of private infrastructure which has come up in Patna. About 12 IT towers are being developed in Patna in various stages of construction in the Patliputra industrial area,” he said. Encouraged by Tiger Analytics’ move, the Bihar government is now planning to organize a Global Investors Summit in Patna on December 13 and 14. “One of the key priority areas in that summit is IT. We will try to get IT companies from India and outside India to come and at least look at the opportunities, the strengths of Bihar,” he said.
(Source: PTI) -
U.S. officials say that there is no immediate threat to national security, but they are watching
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Top American counterterrorism officials on Thursday, October 12, said there was no credible or specific intelligence pointing to a current threat to the United States related to the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel or the ensuing war.
However, intelligence officials were still assessing the potential impact inside the United States of a Hamas call for protests in the next few days.
“We’re also aware of information on the internet about a Hamas call for action or demonstrations,” Christopher A. Wray, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said on Thursday. “And we’re working to confirm whether there’s any validity to that information.” Mr. Wray was speaking during a seminar hosted by the Secure Community Network, an organization that provides consultation and support on safety matters to Jewish communities across North America. “We cannot and do not discount the possibility that Hamas, or other foreign terrorist organizations, could exploit the conflict to call on their supporters to conduct attacks here on our own soil,” he said.
Monitoring for threats involves sifting through rhetoric online and looking for information that indicates a specific plan, like details about a time and place, and assessing whether any purported plotters have the capability to carry out an attack, a Homeland Security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said during a call with reporters on Thursday evening.
Since the Hamas attacks on Israel on Saturday, U.S. counterterrorism officials have been reaching out to thousands of state and local law enforcement officers and religious leaders to discuss the potential impact of the attacks inside the United States. This includes sharing intelligence and offering guidance and assistance in shoring up security at mosques and synagogues and other public gathering places where people could be at risk.
On Thursday, officials from the F.B.I., the Department of Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center held a call with about 4,000 law enforcement officers from around the country, a homeland security official said. The official, who was authorized to speak only on condition of anonymity to share sensitive details, said participation was extraordinarily high, an indication of the broad sense of urgency on security issues around the country.
“The reality in which we are gathered today is this: Jewish people in our country and across the world are again traumatized, again afraid for their own safety and for the safety of their loved ones,” Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the Homeland Security secretary, said on Thursday during a speech to a group of sports leaders hosted by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
Hate crimes against Jewish people and institutions in the United States were already on the rise, Mr. Wray said, and had continued to do so since the Hamas attacks. Over the weekend, Mr. Wray said, the F.B.I. relayed a tip about threats to some faith-based community centers, including a Jewish Senior Services Center in Connecticut.
“We immediately kicked into action and worked with partners in that area to mitigate that threat to those communities and ensure our faith-based partners had what they needed,” Mr. Wray said. The United Nations humanitarian agency just announced a flash appeal of $249 million to help 1.3 million Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Nearly 60 percent of households in Gaza were considered food insecure or vulnerable to food insecurity prior to the war between Israel and Hamas, and $132.7 million of the funds would address food insecurity, the U.N. said.
The British prime minister, Rishi Sunak, spoke with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt on Thursday to “underscore the importance of supporting civilians to leave Gaza,” according to a statement from the British government. Egypt, which controls Gaza’s southern border crossing at Rafah, has so far refused to allow Palestinians seeking to flee Israel’s bombardments to enter its territory. The statement also said that Britain Maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft would begin flying in the region starting Friday to monitor for illicit weapons transfers and other security threats, and would move a navy task group to the eastern Mediterranean next week as “a contingency measure to support humanitarian efforts.”
About 200 members of the House gathered on the steps of the Capitol Thursday evening to hold a candlelight vigil for the Israeli civilians killed or captured when Hamas launched a surprise attack over the weekend.
Homeland Security Department officials say there is no specific or credible threat to the United States at this time stemming from the Hamas attacks. Officials spoke to reporters Thursday evening on the condition of anonymity. The department has been in regular contact with law enforcement officials and religious leaders since Saturday. Earlier on Thursday, department officials held a call with about 4,000 local law enforcement officials around the country. One of the officials who spoke to reporters said this was an extraordinarily high number of participants, an indication of how much interest there is around the country.
The Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are planning to introduce a resolution on Monday pledging full-throated solidarity with Israel, calling on the international community to impose sanctions to limit the flow of money and weapons to Hamas, and declaring the United States ready and willing to help resupply Israel as needed. At least 30 Democrats and 27 Republicans have signed onto the legislation thus far, with more expected to lend their support in the days ahead. The resolution is similar to bipartisan legislation unveiled in the House this week by the top Republican and Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said late Thursday that 1,537 Palestinians, including 500 children, have been killed since Israel began its response to the attacks by Hamas. An additional 6,612 people, including 1,644 children, have been injured, according to the ministry.
The NYPD posted a notice on X (formerly Twitter) to the effect that there was no credible threat to New York City.
-
Indian American NASA scientist Aroh Barjatya to lead rocket mission into 2023 solar eclipse
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): An Indian-origin scientist at NASA is helming a mission that aims to launch three rockets during the 2023 annular eclipse on October 14. The mission, known as Atmospheric Perturbations around the Eclipse Path or APEP, is led by Aroh Barjatya, will study how the sudden drop in sunlight affects our upper atmosphere, the space agency has said.
On October 14, people viewing the annular solar eclipse will experience the sun dimming to 10 per cent its normal brightness, leaving only a bright “ring of fire” of sunlight as the moon eclipses the sun.
Some 50 miles up and beyond, the air itself becomes electric. Scientists call this atmospheric layer the ionosphere because it is where the UV component of sunlight can pry electrons away from atoms to form a sea of high-flying ions and electrons.
The sun’s constant energy keeps these mutually attracted particles separated throughout the day. But as the sun dips below the horizon, many recombine into neutral atoms for the night, only to part ways again at sunrise.
During a solar eclipse, the sunlight vanishes and reappears over a small part of the landscape almost at once. In a flash, ionospheric temperature and density drop, then rise again, sending waves rippling through the ionosphere.
“If you think of the ionosphere as a pond with some gentle ripples on it, the eclipse is like a motorboat that suddenly rips through the water,” said Barjatya, a professor of engineering physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.
“It creates a wake immediately underneath and behind it, and then the water level momentarily goes up as it rushes back in.”
The APEP team plans to launch three rockets in succession — one about 35 minutes before local peak eclipse, one during peak eclipse, and one 35 minutes after. They will fly just outside the path of annularity, where the moon passes directly in front of the sun.
Each rocket will deploy four small scientific instruments that will measure changes in electric and magnetic fields, density, and temperature. If they are successful, these will be the first simultaneous measurements taken from multiple locations in the ionosphere during a solar eclipse. Barjatya chose sounding rockets to answer the team’s science questions because they can pinpoint and measure specific regions of space with high fidelity. They can also measure changes that happen at different altitudes as the suborbital rocket ascends and falls back to Earth. The APEP rockets will take measurements between 70 to 325 kilometers) above the ground along their trajectory.
In addition, a ground-based observation will collect ionospheric density and neutral wind measurements. A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Haystack Observatory in Westford, will run their radar to measure ionospheric perturbations farther away from the eclipse path.
Finally, a team of students from Embry-Riddle will deploy high-altitude balloons (reaching 100,000 feet) every 20 minutes to measure weather changes as the eclipse passes by.
The APEP rockets launched in New Mexico will be recovered and then relaunched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will cross the US from Texas to Maine.
(Source: IANS)
-
Two Indian-origin firms among Earthshot Prize 2023 finalists
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP) : Two firms founded by persons of Indian origin figure among the Earthshot Prize’s third class of 15 global innovators, entrepreneurs, community leaders and activists working to find cutting-edge solutions to climate change.
Each of the finalists will be in the running to receive one of the five £1 million prizes awarded at the third-annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Singapore in November.
Prince William and The Earthshot Prize announced the 15 Finalists for this year’s Prize at the second Earthshot Innovation Summit in New York earlier this month.
The 15 innovators honored as Earthshot Finalists represent six continents and were chosen from more than 1,300 nominees.
Founded by Prince William in 2020, The Earthshot Prize aims to discover and help scale the world’s most innovative climate and environmental solutions to protect and restore our planet.
Boomitra, a US based company founded by Indian American Aadith Moorthy, who hails from Karnataka, has been chosen in “Fix Our Climate” category.
His company is a soil carbon marketplace that rewards farmers for sustainable land management practices.
Boomitra, which means “friend of the earth” in Sanskrit, works with more than 150,000 farmers managing more than five million acres of land in some of the poorest parts of Africa, South America and Asia.
Satellites and AI technology are used to monitor improvements farmers make to the soil, tracking its ability to store carbon over time. In exchange, companies and governments looking to offset their emissions can purchase independently verified carbon credits from Boomitra’s marketplace.
The world’s agricultural soil has the potential to store an additional five gigatons of CO2 per year – more than all the emissions from global car travel in a year.
As Boomitra aims to scale their solution across the world, they have set a target to store one gigaton of CO2 in the soil by 2030. Their strategy has huge transformative potential for climate change mitigation, but it is also a boon to the farmers themselves.
Sustainable farming techniques restore soil health, increase crop yields and generate more revenue. Farmers also earn new, additional income from a 70% share in Boomitra’s profits.
“We cannot restore the earth without the support of farmers, who produce the food we eat and rely on the land for their income. Our technological solution empowers farmers with the data they need to improve soil and maximize their crop yields while creating a valuable store for carbon,” said Moorthy. “Our thanks to The Earthshot Prize for recognizing our work as we continue to support thousands more farmers.”
S4S Technologies, founded in 2013 by six university friends – Nidhi Pant, Vaibhav Tidke, Swapnil Kokte, Ganesh Bhere, Shital Somani, Tushar Gaware and Ashwin Pawade – has been chosen in “Build A Waste-free World” category.
S4S Technologies combats food waste, rural poverty, and gender inequality by helping smallholder female farmers preserve and market surplus produce.
The organization provides rural communities with cheaper solar-powered conduction dryers and food processing equipment to prepare their crops on-site, rather than using cold storage or other more expensive methods of conventional industrial food preservation.
With a focus on supporting female farmers, S4S also supports its entrepreneurs in using preserved waste to produce and sell valuable food products, such as ketchup.
S4S creates a market, connecting commercial buyers to these products and returning most of the profits to the farmers who made them. Some 300,000 women smallholder farmers supported by S4S have recorded 10- 15% increases in their profits, while the 2,000 female entrepreneurs they partner with have seen incomes double or even triple.
By 2025, S4S wants to extend their reach to three million smallholder farmers and 30,000 entrepreneurs. By 2026, they predict they will have reduced food waste by 1.2 million tons and removed the equivalent of 10 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.
“Food waste, rural poverty and gender inequality are deeply intertwined challenges for the people of India. S4S’s innovative solution combines cutting-edge technology with the practical support and training needed to ensure women farmers can thrive and improve their livelihoods for themselves and their families,” said Nidhi Pant, Co-Founder of S4S Technologies.
“We are honored by this recognition from The Earthshot Prize, and we look forward to continuing to work with our partners across India and around the world to reduce food waste, protect our natural environment and empower women.” -
Ramaswamy wants to end H-1B visa system, says it’s ‘indentured servitude’: Report
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Calling the much sought-after H-1B visa system “indentured servitude”, Indian-American GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has pledged to get rid of it if voted to power in 2024, the Politico reported. Having himself used the system 29 times in the past to hire highly-skilled professionals for his pharma company, Ramaswamy said that the temporary worker visas system is “bad for everyone involved”, and the US needs to eliminate chain-based migration. “The lottery system needs to be replaced by actual meritocratic admission. It’s a form of indentured servitude that only accrues to the benefit of the company that sponsored an H-1B immigrant. I’ll gut it,” Politico quoted the 38-year-old entrepreneur as saying.
“The people who come as family members are not the meritocratic immigrants who make skills-based contributions to this country,” Ramaswamy, born to immigrant parents from Kerala, added.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services approved 29 applications for Ramaswamy’s former company, Roivant Sciences, to hire employees under H-1B visas from 2018 through 2023, the report said.
“As the largest organization of members currently on H1B visa stuck in green card backlogs, we completely agree with @VivekGRamaswamy & others willing to speak the truth: H1B visa is, in fact, indentured servitude that only benefits the company that sponsors the visa, but is bad for everyone else. We agree — it is time to gut H1B,” US-based non-profit, Immigration Voice, wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Stating that Ramaswamy has grabbed headlines for his restrictionist immigration policy agenda, the Politico said that “his rhetoric has at times gone farther than the other GOP candidates, as he calls for lottery-based visas, such as the H-1B worker visas, to be replaced with ‘meritocratic” admission’”.
He has also said that he would deport US-born children of undocumented immigrants.
The H-1B visa allows companies and other employers in the US to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent.
Every year the US gives 65,000 H-1B visas open to all and 20,000 to those with advanced US degrees.
Indians are the biggest beneficiaries of the H-1B visas getting about 75 per cent of them, according to the US government. In July 2023, Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi introduced legislation proposing to double the annual intake of foreign workers on H-1B visas from 65,000 to 130,000.
Earlier this year, bipartisan legislation was introduced in the US Senate to reform and close loopholes in the H-1B visa programme, created to complement America’s high-skilled workforce.
(Source: IANS) -
EAM Jaishankar, US Secretary Blinken discuss global developments amid India-Canada diplomatic row
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): India and the US agreed to continue their cooperation in the areas of defense, space and clean energy as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Secretary of State Antony Blinken here, amid a simmering diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of a Khalistani separatist.
Jaishankar is currently on a five-day official trip to Washington DC. This is the highest-level interaction between the two countries after the recent G-20 Summit in New Delhi.
“Great to meet my friend US Secretary of State @SecBlinken at State Department today. A wide-ranging discussion, following up on PM @narendramodi’s June visit. Also exchanged notes on global developments. Laid the groundwork of our 2+2 meeting very soon,” he posted on X on Friday, September 29.
The two top diplomats “discussed a full range of issues, including key outcomes of India’s G20 presidency, and the creation of India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and its potential to generate transparent, sustainable, and high-standard infrastructure investments,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
“The Secretary and the External Affairs Minister also emphasized the continued importance of cooperation ahead of the upcoming 2+2 Dialogue, in particular in the areas of defense, space, and clean energy,” Miller said in a statement after the meeting. New Delhi will host the fifth edition of India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, Jaishankar announced on Thursday. Although he did not reveal the dates of the meeting, it is learnt that the ministerial dialogue would be held in the first half of November.
The US delegation would be represented by Blinken along with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will lead the Indian delegation.
“I actually look forward to seeing you in Delhi for the 2+2,” Jaishankar told Blinken, as the latter welcomed him at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department for the meeting.
The last 2+2 ministerial was held in Washington DC on April 11. Started during the previous Trump administration, the first 2+2 ministerial was held in New Delhi on September 6, 2018.
“Focused discussion on India-US collaboration on critical and emerging tech and creating resilient supply chains at discussion convened by @USISPForum,” Jaishankar said in another post on social media platform X.
“Glad to know that India is the major talking point in corporate boardrooms. Our collaboration offers more possibilities with each passing day,” he said.
The two sides remained tight-lipped about the direct or indirect implications of the diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia early this year.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has alleged that the Indian government was behind the killing of Nijjar on June 18. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020. India has rejected Canada’s allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”. Secretary Blinken refused to respond to reporters’ questions about the row.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome my friend and colleague, Foreign Minister Jaishankar, here to the State Department, back to Washington. We’ve had very good discussions over the last weeks – of course at the G20, in New York at the General Assembly – and I’m looking forward to pursuing them this afternoon,” Blinken said welcoming Jaishankar at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department.
Both the top diplomats were smiling and in a cheerful mood as they appeared before the media at the Treaty Room of the State Department for a photo-op ahead of their bilateral meeting on Thursday.
“Good to be back here, and we, of course, had the prime minister here this summer. We thank the US for all the support at the G20 summit,” Jaishankar said in his brief remarks. Soon thereafter, the two leaders headed for the bilateral meeting. Jaishankar, who arrived here from New York on Wednesday after addressing the 78th General Assembly session of the United Nations on Tuesday, held a series of meetings with top Biden administration officials on Thursday.
He started the day with a visit to the White House for a meeting with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The White House did not issue a readout of the meeting. “Recognized the tremendous progress in our bilateral relationship this year and discussed taking it forward,” the minister posted on X.
After a meeting with representatives of the think tanks from Washington DC, Jaishankar met US Trade Representative Katherine Tai. “Spoke about our expanding trade and economic relationship and its broader significance,” he wrote on X. “Today I met with” Jaishankar “to discuss the positive momentum of the U.S.-India trade relationship, and opportunities to collaborate on WTO reform and IPEF negotiations,” Tai said.
Jaishankar described his meetings with the think tanks as an open and productive conversation. “Discussed transformations underway around the world and India’s growing role,” he said.
(Source: PTI) -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Washington
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, will visit Washington next week following his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, according to three U.S. officials, says a Washington Post report. Mr. Zelensky’s plan to appear in person before the General Assembly on Wednesday, as part of the U.N.’s annual gathering in New York City, was previously known. But his follow-on trip to Washington — where he is expected to meet with President Biden at the White House and members of Congress on Capitol Hill — has not yet been announced officially. It comes as the Biden administration works to shore up support in Congress for an additional $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine amid a grinding Ukrainian counteroffensive that has so far yielded disappointing results. Mr. Zelensky insists that Ukraine can still make major gains.
Mr. Zelensky last visited Washington in December, where he addressed Congress and urged the continued supply of American weapons for his country’s battle against Russia, which is about to enter its 19th month. Since then, anxiety has grown among Ukraine’s supporters as they have watched a decline in U.S. public support for continuing aid to the country.
Mr. Zelensky is not expected to make a formal public speech to Congress this time but is expected to hold meetings at the Capitol, including with congressional leaders, according to aides familiar with the plans. Although most lawmakers still support aid for Ukraine, a growing chorus of right-wing Republicans, most of them in the House, has been trying to curtail assistance, and even threatening to block measures to fund the federal government if they include what they call a “blank check” for Ukraine.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who faces a rebellious far-right flank of his party that could cost him his job, has appeared to wobble under the pressure not to replenish the funds, despite previously saying that he backed continued aid for Ukraine. He is considering pushing ahead with a supplemental funding bill that would focus exclusively on domestic matters such as emergency disaster assistance and border security, putting additional funding for Ukraine at risk. The Biden administration has remained resolute. During a visit to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, last week, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken vowed that the United States would continue to support Ukraine.
Mr. Zelensky’s planned visits come amid reports that the Biden administration may be nearing a decision on sending Ukraine long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems known as ATACMS, which Ukrainian officials say they need to make major advances against Russia. Ukrainian officials have said in recent weeks that they are hopeful that Mr. Biden will approve the weapons.
-
US wants G20 to help reshape multilateral development banks like IMF and World Bank
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The US wants the G20 countries to help reshape and scale up multilateral development banks like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, a top White House official has said.
White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communication John Kirby said on Wednesday, September 6, the US will make it clear during President Joe Biden’s visit to India that it remains committed to the G20 as a critical forum for all the major economies of the world to come together for global problem-solving.
“One of our main goals heading into the G20 is to help reshape and scale up multilateral development banks like the IMF, like the World Bank,” Kirby told foreign reporters at a news conference here on Wednesday.
“We know that these institutions are some of the most effective tools for mobilizing transparent and high-quality investment in developing countries. And that’s why the United States has championed the major effort that is currently underway to evolve these institutions so that they’re up for the challenges of tomorrow,” he said.
Kirby said Biden asked the US Congress last month for additional funds that would have the impact of helping increase World Bank financing by more than USD 25 billion, and the US is working with its partners to see if they can pursue similar contributions.
During his India visit, Kirby said, Biden will also be calling on G20 members to provide meaningful debt relief so that low and middle-income countries can regain their footing after years of stress on their economies and their people.
“We’ll also be making progress on other key priorities, from climate to health, and as I said at the very top, digital technology. In addition, we’ll spotlight the progress that we’ve been making on the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment that the President calls PGII,” he said.
Kirby noted that there will be continued focus on how the G20 deals with Russia’s illegal and ongoing war in Ukraine.
“The reality is that Russia’s war has already had devastating social, and economic consequences, and the poorest countries on the planet are bearing the brunt of that,” he said.
During the summit, Biden will call for a just and durable peace – one founded in respect for international law, the principles of the UN Charter, and the precepts of territorial integrity and national sovereignty, he said. “We will also continue to emphasize that the United States will support Ukraine for as long as it takes to redeem these principles,” he said.
“Last but not least – and this is certainly important – you’ll see that the United States will make it clear that we remain committed to the G20 as a critical forum for all the major economies of the world to come together for global problem-solving.
“The G20 itself, as a valuable and vital, as I said, venue, will be on the agenda. And in a sign of that commitment, the United States is looking forward to hosting the G20 ourselves in 2026,” said the White House official.
The G20 member countries represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
The grouping comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU).
(Source: PTI)
-
Nikki Haley only Republican presidential aspirant who can defeat President Joe Biden: CNN poll
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Indian American Nikki Haley is the only Republican presidential aspirant who can defeat President Joe Biden in the November 2024 polls, a CNN poll has revealed.
More than half a dozen Republican leaders, including two Indian Americans – Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy — are seeking to be the party’s presidential nominee. The race is currently being led by former president Donald Trump who is far ahead of others.
Releasing the results of its latest presidential polls, CNN said, “Hypothetical matchups… suggest there would be no clear leader should Biden face one of the other major GOP contenders, with one notable exception: Biden runs behind former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.” In an early gauge of a hypothetical Biden-Trump rematch, CNN’s poll finds that registered voters are currently split between Trump (47 per cent) and Biden (46 per cent), with the demographic contours that defined the 2020 race still prominent.
Biden is about even with Ron DeSantis (47 per cent each), Mike Pence (46 per cent Pence, 44 per cent Biden), Tim Scott (46 per cent Scott, 44 per cent Biden), Vivek Ramaswamy (46 per cent Biden, 45 per cent Ramaswamy), and Chris Christie (44 per cent Christie, 42 per cent Biden).
“Haley stands as the only GOP candidate to hold a lead over Biden, with 49 per cent to Biden’s 43 per cent in a hypothetical match between the two,” CNN reported.
That difference is driven at least in part by a broader support for Haley than for other Republicans among White voters with college degrees. She holds 51 per cent of that group, compared to 48 per cent or less for other Republicans tested in the poll, the news channel said. The Haley campaign welcomed the polls saying, “This poll confirms what many Democrats and Republicans are saying: Democrats are terrified of running against Nikki Haley.”
“When you ask President Joe Biden who they’re really worried about, you’ll hear one name. ‘If they nominate Nikki Haley, we’re in trouble,” said a senior Democratic strategist close to the Biden campaign. The Hill said those results are good news for Haley, a former United Nations ambassador under President Trump who is looking to build on a strong performance in the first GOP presidential debate late last month to challenge her former boss for the Republican nomination.
(Source: PTI)
-
Indian American policy expert Vaishu Jawahar joins Waxman Strategies as director in health practice
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Indian American policy expert Vaishu Jawahar, former Domestic Policy Coordinator to Vice President Kamala Harris, has joined Waxman Strategies, a public interest focused policy and communications firm, as a director in its health practice team. “Vaishu Jawahar is a valuable addition to our team as a Director in the Health Practice,” said Claire McAndrew, Senior Vice President in the Health Practice, announcing her appointment with two other new hires — Jen Schultz and Jackson Thein.
Jawahar has experience in the executive and legislative branches, as well as advocacy, said the announcement noting, “Her contributions include work on implementing the White House Maternal Health Blueprint and the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.”
Her commitment to health care advocacy is evident from her work with the Committee to Protect Health Care, the Biden Campaign, and other impactful organizations, it said.
Jawahar brings a range of experience from the executive branch, legislative branch, and advocacy field, it said.
Before Waxman Strategies, Jawahar worked at the White House and helped implement the Biden-Harris Blueprint to Address the Maternal Mortality Crisis and spearheaded equity-focused policy priorities, according to her official profile.
Prior to the Office of the Vice President, Jawahar interned with the White House Domestic Policy Council’s Health and Veterans team, where she monitored the implementation of the National Strategy on Hunger, Health, and Nutrition and drafted memos and talking points for senior officials on subjects ranging from maternal health to FDA regulation.
Previously, Jawahar was a grassroots organizer. She held multiple roles in healthcare advocacy groups and political campaigns, including the Committee to Protect Health Care, the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign, and the Obama 2012 campaign.
At the Committee to Protect Health Care, Jawahar mobilized over 4,000 doctors to speak up for their patients – helping protect reproductive rights in Michigan, expand Medicaid in North Carolina, and secure paid sick leave for 30,000 workers in Virginia.
Her work generated 517 TV hits, 351 written hits, $17.5 million in earned media, and headlines on CNN and Axios.
Jawahar also interned with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and worked with Enroll America to help North Carolinians gain coverage through the ACA. In addition, Jawahar brings a breadth of experience in health care to Waxman Strategies, from research at the National Institute of Health to shadowing doctors and public health officials in Appalachian Kentucky, according to the profile. Jawahar received a master’s degree in medical physiology and biophysics from the Georgetown University School of Medicine and graduated cum laude with a BS in biology and minors in political science and public health from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
-
California Assembly passes anti-caste discrimination bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP) An anti-caste discrimination bill has been passed by the California State Assembly that seeks to combat caste discrimination and strengthen protections for marginalized communities across the state. The bill was passed by the Assembly on Monday, August 28. It now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom for his signature to make it into law, making California the first US state to add caste as a protected category in its anti-discrimination laws.
The bill passed by the California Assembly seeks to combat caste discrimination and strengthen protections for marginalized communities across the state. It was first introduced by State Senator Aisha Wahab and was supported by several caste equity civil rights activists and organizations from across the country.
Thank you to all the Assembly members who voted in support of SB 403 today. We are protecting people from a long-standing form of discrimination with SB 403, Wahab said in a tweet.
A coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) described it as a black day in California history.
The legislation will revise California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, Education, and Housing codes by adding caste as a protected category under ancestry. Since its introduction earlier this year, the bill has flown through the different steps in the legislature, achieving a largely bipartisan consensus across multiple labor and civil rights entities.
The Assembly Vote is a win for the ages. After conducting over 700 advocacy meetings across the entire state of California the people have spoken resoundingly for caste equity protections.
As a Californian who has endured caste my whole life I know the struggles and adversity caste-oppressed Californians have unjustly faced firsthand, said Thenmozhi Soundararajan, executive director of Equality Labs.
Caste-oppressed people have organized for over twenty years so we could have lives free from violent attacks and discrimination; now, the California Assembly has voted decisively to bring us closer to victory, she said.
As the bill progresses we ask Governor Newsome to sign this bill once it crosses his desk so that California can lead the nation and the world to ensure that our institutions are free from discrimination and ensure opportunity for all, Soundararajan said. In a statement, CoHNA said the passing of a bill that is NOT facially neutral and written to specifically target Hindu Americans is the latest in a long line of unjust bills, like the Asian Exclusion Act, which were popular at the time of their passing and were used to target minorities of color.
This bill will be no different and is indeed worse since it ignored the mounting body of evidence about the overreach of CRD in the Cisco lawsuit, the flawed data from a hate group that underpinned the whole effort, the championing of this bill by foreign actors and the rising numbers of Dalit and Bahujan voices speaking against it, it said.
Amar Shergill, California Democratic Chair of the Progressive Caucus said there is broad consensus in California among Democrats and Republicans that discrimination, in any form, is unacceptable.
Pooja Ren, Hindus for Caste Equity said as a dalit Hindu, she wants to make sure that they can make workplaces safe for all workers, as well as all schools for their children. Future dalit generations in the diaspora must be protected. Pathways must be paved for our children to feel safe from casteist bullying and discrimination from casteist parents. We must have justice when caste discrimination occurs.
We are a community that has suffered for centuries, and protection will give us the human rights as residents of California to live a life free from caste discrimination, she said. Tarina Mand, South Asian Bar Association Civil Rights Taskforce said California has taken a bold step to dismantle caste discrimination in a call for equity and a recognition that deep-seated biases can be passed through a community for generations and across continents.
As our communities process some incredibly disheartening judicial decisions in recent months about the value of our diverse national spirit, the passage of SB-403 today stands out as a watershed moment, he said.
Dalit activist Deelip Mhaske said amidst the shifting tides of the world, California’s adoption of the Caste Law stands as a groundbreaking testament, echoing far beyond its borders.
The resounding influence of the Indian diaspora reverberates through the corridors of power, with four Indians eyeing the presidential throne in 2024, and multinational giants swayed by the decisions of Indian diaspora leaders, said Mhaske, president of the Foundation For Human Horizon.
(Source: PTI) -
US Congress asked to update ‘woefully outdated’ immigration system
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Biden administration has asked the Congress to update the woefully outdated immigration system, the White House said Monday, August 28. “As we have said many times before, this is an outdated immigration system. We’ve asked the Congress to update our woefully outdated immigration system. We’ve been very clear on that, including, including the temporary visa programs that haven’t been updated in more than two decades,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. Under the current regulations, workers on certain temporary visas usually have 60 days to secure new employment, pursue a different visa classification or make preparations to depart the United States.
“So, the Congress needs to do their job and pass legislation, updating our immigration laws to reflect the needs of where we are, where we are currently in this 21st century economy,” she said.
On the first day of his administration, President Joe Biden put forth an immigration reform legislation because he took this very seriously, the White House Press Secretary said.
He wanted to make sure that was the first piece of legislation that he put forward on Day One because “this is such a broken system”, Jean-Pierre said in response to a question.
-
U.S. to send $250 million in weapons to Ukraine
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Biden administration announced on August 29 that it will send an additional $250 million in weapons and ammunition to Ukraine as part of its ongoing support of Kyiv’s counteroffensive.
The weapons will be drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles and will include mine-clearing equipment, artillery and rocket rounds, ambulances and medical gear, among other items and spare parts, according to the State Department. “The package will help Ukrainian forces on the battlefield and support its air defenses as Russia continues to launch brutal, brutal strikes against the people of Ukraine, including attacks this past week,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. The State Department said the package contained AIM-9M missiles for air defense, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System munitions, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition and more than 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
The U.S. would have already run out of funding for the year to provide additional stockpile equipment to Ukraine but earlier this year realized the Pentagon had overvalued the equipment it had already sent, which freed up an additional $6.2 billion in funding. Ukraine has already received more than $43 billion from the U.S. since Russia invaded last year. Those funds have provided weapons systems like howitzers and millions of rounds of ammunition to fight back against the much larger Russian military. Due to the intense and bloody land war, now in its 18th month, much of the ammunition and weaponry has already been used up.
-
Trump rakes up India tax issue; says would impose reciprocal tax if voted to power
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Former US president Donald Trump, who is seeking his term, has once again raised the issue of high tax by India on certain American products in particular the iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and has threatened to slap with reciprocal tax if voted to power in the 2024 presidential elections.
During his first term as the US president, Trump described India as a “tariff king” and in May 2019, terminated India’s preferential market access — Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) — to the United States alleging India has not given the United States “equitable and reasonable access to its markets.” In an interview to Larry Kudlow of Fox Business News, Trump came down heavily on India tax rates, which he alleged was quite high.
“The other thing I want to have is a matching tax where, if India charges us — India is very big with tariffs. I mean, I saw it with Harley-Davidson. I was saying, how do you do in a place like India? Oh, no good sir. Why? They have 100 per cent and 150 per cent and 200 per cent tariffs,” said the former president.
“So, I said, so they can sell their Indian motorbike. They actually make a bike, an Indian motorbike. They can sell that into our country with no tax, no tariff, but when you make a Harley, when you send it over there — because they were doing no business. I said, how come you don’t do business with India? The tariff is so high that nobody wants it. But what they want us to do is, they want us to go over and build a plant, and then you have no tariff,” Trump said.
“They said, well, that’s not good. That’s not our deal, OK? That’s not our deal. And I came down very hard on them. But India is very big. Brazil is very big on tariffs, I mean, very, very big. We had a couple of people, like the senator from a place called Pennsylvania that I love. But this guy was just horrendous. I said, let me ask you a question. If India is charging us 200 per cent, and we’re charging them nothing for products, can we charge them 100 per cent? No, sir, that’s not free trade. Can we charge them 50 per cent? No, sir. Twenty-five, 10, anything? No. I said, what the hell is wrong? There’s something wrong. You know what I’m talking about,” he said.
“If India is charging us too, so what I want to have is a — call it retribution. You could call it whatever you want. If they are charging us, we charge them,” Trump said in response to a question.
The former president, who is facing a series of court cases and indictments, is leading the Republican presidential primaries, and accounts for more than half of the GOP votes according to major national polls.
(Source: PTI)
-
Indian American Vivek Ramaswamy is a ‘very promising candidate’, says Elon Musk
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Indian American Republican presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy has received a big shout-out from Elon Musk, the billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO. “He is a very promising candidate,” Musk posted on X, formerly Twitter, after watching Ramaswamy’s video interview with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson. He also reposted a snippet of the interview on X. In the 45-minute interview, Ramaswamy, the youngest Republican presidential contender at 37, spoke about the “void” he is trying to fill in American politics.
Ramaswamy also argued that the US is at a point where the “government and the broader establishment believe that the citizens of the nation cannot be trusted with the truth.”
Praising the candidate after the interview, Carlson, the former Fox News primetime host said that the Republican hopeful is “one of the best-versed voices in policy” he has spoken with. “ Vivek Ramaswamy is the youngest Republican presidential candidate ever. He’s worth listening to,” Carlson wrote.
The Musk endorsement was considered intriguing given the history between Musk and Ramaswamy. A few months ago, the Republican leader had castigated Musk’s interactions with Chinese leaders during a trip to China.
Musk, who had met China’s Foreign Minister and announced plans to expand his business in the country, drew criticism from Ramaswamy, who accused China of manipulating prominent American business leaders to advance its agenda. “It’s deeply concerning that Elon Musk met with China’s foreign minister…,” Ramaswamy then wrote.
Ramaswamy, dubbed by the New Yorker magazine as the “CEO of Anti-Woke Inc,” is one of three Indian American Republican candidates with Nikki Haley and Hirsh Vardhan Singh setting their sights on the 2024 White House race. Ramaswamy was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and hails from a family of Indian immigrants. His father is an engineer at General Electric and his mother a geriatric psychiatrist.
A self-proclaimed “capitalist and citizen,” Ramaswamy’s studied at Harvard and Yale universities and reportedly has a net worth exceeding $500 million.
The biotech entrepreneur has emerged as a breakout candidate in the Republican primaries as he challenges former US President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for a Republican nomination.
Notably, Ramaswamy, who wears his Hindu faith on his sleeve, has managed to carve a distinct niche in a party traditionally dominated by evangelical Christians. His campaign message emphasizes the alignment of his Hindu values with the Judeo-Christian foundation of the United States.
Ramaswamy has risen in Republican primary polls according to RealClearPolitics, placing third behind former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 6.4% percent support.
-
US, South Korea, Japan set to deepen military ties
Agree on security pledge ahead of Camp David summit
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The United States, Japan and South Korea are set to sign on to a new security pledge, committing the three countries to consult with each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the Pacific, according to Biden administration officials.
Details about the new “duty to consult” commitment emerged as President Joe Biden prepared Friday to welcome South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a summit at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.
The move is one of several joint efforts that the leaders are expected to announce at the daylong summit, as the three countries look to tighten security and economic ties amid increasing concerns about North Korea’s persistent nuclear threats and Chinese provocations in the Pacific.
Kishida, before departing Tokyo, told reporters the summit would be a “historic occasion”.
(Source: PTI) -
US Congressional delegation’s visit to India solidified bilateral ties: Indian Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The ongoing visit to India of a US Congressional delegation led by Indian American lawmaker Ro Khanna has further solidified deep ties and underscores a unique vision that can serve as a blueprint to advance the bilateral relationship, according to Indian Americans.
The four-term Congressman representing Silicon Valley in the House of Representatives, Khanna on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and attended the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on Tuesday where the prime minister hoisted the national flag.
During his trips to New Delhi and Mumbai, he has met leaders of the civic society, Bollywood superstars, including Amitabh Bachchan, and the opposition leaders. “I am happy that elected members of the US Congress are present here today on the occasion of our celebration,” Modi said in his Independence Day address.
“I was honored to visit Raj Ghat on India’s Independence Day to pay my respects to Mahatma Gandhi, one of the world’s greatest leaders. I also had the chance to lead our delegation at the Red Fort,” Khanna posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Glad to receive a Congressional delegation from the US, including co-chairs of India Caucus in the House of Representatives, Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep Michael Waltz,” Modi wrote on X after his meeting with the Congressional delegation.
Modi said that strong bipartisan support from the US Congress was instrumental in further elevating India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. “Ro’s trip to India is historic. For the grandson of an Indian freedom fighter who fought alongside Gandhi and was even jailed with him — to return to his parents’ birthplace and lead a CODEL in his role as a Member of Congress is as beautiful as it is poignant,” said Ronak D Desai, a leading India practitioner at global law firm Paul Hastings LLP.
“It is a remarkable story that is only possible in America. This fact is one that I suspect Ro thinks about often, and motivated his desire to become a public servant,” said Desai, also an expert at the Mittal South Asia Institute at Harvard University. Community leader Yogi Chug said on Wednesday the visit of the US delegation further solidified the deep bilateral relationship.
“From Mumbai, Hyderabad, and New Delhi – whether it was with meeting Amitabh Bachan, Anupam Kher, corporate leaders, or their visit to Akshardham this further solidified the deep relationship,” he said.
He said the visit was important as the people-to-people and cultural interactions will be needed for the growing US-India Partnership in the years ahead.
With Prime Minister Modi’s successful State Visit and the upcoming visit of President Joe Biden to India, the Congressional delegation led by US Congress India Caucus Chairs Ro Khanna (CA) and Michal Waltz (FL) could not have come at a better time, he said.
“Many have described the US-India partnership as one of the most consequential partnerships of the 21st century. Equally exciting was that the Congressional delegation was invited and able to attend Modi’s August 15 address at Red Fort. This is significant that a delegation was accorded such honor and visibility,” Chug said.
“A good interaction with the US Congressional delegation today. Glad they could join as we celebrated Independence Day. Discussed the transformation underway in India, especially its outcomes of better governance,” External Affairs Minister Jaishankar posted on social media platform X.
“Shared our aspirations and expectations for Amrit Kaal. Also exchanged views on our advancing bilateral partnership. Shared perspectives on the global situation and our collaboration on multilateral, regional and global issues,” he said. From news reports, it appears the delegation accomplished much during its visit, which also included ministerial-level meetings with the Defense and External Affairs ministries and tours of Western Naval Command further amplifying the critical need for elevating the US-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. “This is an indication of the importance of the increased congressional engagements one will see in the years ahead. The India Caucus in the US Congress has the potential to play a critical role in this US objective and priority,” Chug said.
“Ro Khanna has been a tireless champion of US-India relations for at least 20 years, well before he was elected to Congress. It is unsurprising that he has focused some of his efforts in the House over the past several years to lead the way in strengthening and advancing the bilateral relationship even further,” Desai said on Wednesday.
According to Desai, Ro’s delegation, in many ways, has been unlike any others that have visited India in the past.
“While it included some traditional aspects, including meeting with the Prime Minister and EAM, it seems Ro really endeavored to capture the full cultural richness and complexity of India through his meetings with Bollywood legends like Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher, academics, and other civil society leaders.
“It underscores a unique vision of US-India relations that can serve as a blueprint for both counties moving forward,” he said. The Congressional delegation once again reaffirms one of the central, most important features of the US-India relationship — the nearly ironclad bipartisan consensus surrounding it, Desai said.
It is one of the primary reasons the partnership continues to grow in leaps and bounds regardless of who is in power in Washington, he said. “Ro’s ability to work across the aisle is well reflected in the various bills he sponsored and have become laws. He’s predictably deploying those bipartisan credentials now in service of the bilateral relationship,” he said.
(Source: PTI) -
Indian American Diversity Expert Kalpana Kotagal sworn in as EEOC Commissioner
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Kalpana Kotagal, an Indian American diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility expert, has been sworn in as Commissioner of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Nominated by President Joe Biden on April 1, 2022, she was confirmed on July 14, 2023, to serve as Commissioner, for a term expiring July 1, 2027. She was sworn in by EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows on Aug 9.
Kotagal joins Burrows, Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels, and Commissioners Keith E. Sonderling and Andrea R. Lucas on the presidentially appointed, bipartisan Commission. Kotagal’s swearing in restores the Commission to its full complement, according to an EEOC release. “We are excited to welcome Kalpana Kotagal to the Commission,” Burrows said. “She has dedicated her career to advancing civil rights both in the courtroom and by working collaboratively with employers. Her creative approaches to ensuring equal opportunity, her legal expertise, and her commitment to workers will greatly benefit the Commission.”
Prior to her appointment to the EEOC, Kotagal was a partner at Cohen Milstein, a member of the firm’s Civil Rights & Employment practice group, and chair of the firm’s Hiring and Diversity Committee.
Kotagal is a highly acclaimed litigator who has represented women and other marginalized people in employment and civil rights litigation involving issues related to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act, as well as wage and hour issues and the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act.
“It’s an honor to start a new chapter as an EEOC Commissioner and an incredible opportunity to apply the experience from my previous work,” Kotagal said.
“I look forward to working toward solutions for the issues facing today’s workforce alongside my colleagues on the Commission and in the agency.” Prior to her work at Cohen Milstein, Kotagal served as a law clerk to Betty Binns Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
She attended Stanford University, where she was a Morris K. Udall Scholar and graduated with honors. She earned her JD, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, where she was a James Wilson Fellow.
The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.
-
House Resolution to declare August 15 as National Day of Celebration of world’s two largest democracies introduced
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Led by Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar, a group of US lawmakers have introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to declare India’s Independence Day as a National Day of Celebration of the World’s Two Largest Democracies. The resolution expresses the belief that the strong partnership between the United States and India, rooted in shared democratic values, will continue to advance global democracy and foster peace, stability, and prosperity for all nations. Introduced by Thanedar and co-sponsored by Congressman Buddy Carter and Brad Sharman, the resolution seeks to declare August 15, India’s Independence Day as the National Day of Celebration of the World’s Two Largest Democracies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Official State Visit to the United States on June 22, anchored the United States and India in a new level of trust and mutual understanding based on common interests and shared commitments to freedom, democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, it says.
Americans with Indian heritage enhance public life in the United States as government officials, military personnel, and law enforcement officers who diligently uphold the principles of the US Constitution and contribute to the enriching diversity of the Nation, the resolution says.
It is proper and desirable to celebrate with the Indian people, and to reaffirm the democratic principles on which the two nations were born, it said.
(Source: PTI) -
Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna to co-lead bipartisan delegation to India
- US lawmakers will participate in Red Fort address of PM Modi on India’s Independence Day
- They will meet with business, tech, government and Bollywood leaders
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A bipartisan group of US lawmakers will travel to India to take part in the Red Fort address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the country’s Independence Day on August 15, according to an official statement. The bipartisan Congressional delegation is led by Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna and Congressman Michael Waltz. The two are co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans. “It is an honor to lead a bipartisan delegation to India and be there to celebrate India’s Independence Day. My grandfather spent his life fighting for India’s independence. So, this is a deeply personal and meaningful trip for me. It is also a historic moment for the US-India relationship. I plan to meet Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, cabinet ministers and a diverse range of MPs along with business, tech, cricket and Bollywood leaders,” Khanna to PTI on Monday.
“This trip will deepen the coordination and partnership between our countries and allow us to engage on important issues like decarbonization, digitization, economic partnership, defense ties, pluralism and human rights,” he said. The lawmakers will visit Red Fort where the prime minister will address the nation on India’s Independence Day. They will meet business, tech, government, and Bollywood leaders in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and New Delhi and visit Raj Ghat, the historic memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the statement said.
Khanna and Waltz will be joined by lawmakers Deborah Ross, Kat Cammack, Shri Thanedar and Jasmine Crockett along with Rich McCormick and Ed Case. For Congressman Khanna, this is history coming full circle. “His grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar was an Indian freedom fighter who spent four years in jail alongside Gandhi and later was part of India’s first parliament,” said the statement issued on Monday, August 7.
(Source: PTI) -
India-born college student will be first Republican to challenge Democrat Baldwin for Senate in 2024
Rejani Raveendran’s longshot entry would indeed add a new face to the race
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Rejani Raveendran, a 40-year-old India-born college student, has announced her bid for Senate in the US state of Wisconsin, becoming the first Republican to officially contest against Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin. Raveendran, chair of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College Republicans, on Tuesday officially launched her run against 61-year-old Baldwin in Portage County.
The announcement made Raveendran the first Republican Senate candidate in Wisconsin with just under a year to go until the primary, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. “I have met lots of politicians, lobbyists, and policymakers. Many of them were there for 20, 30 and 40 years. We elect them, send them and they become so comfortable in DC and forget all about us, why we (have) sent them there,” she said on Tuesday, August 8, while announcing her candidacy. Raveendran’s longshot entry would indeed add a new face to the race.
The mother of three has not been involved in politics until recently. She joined the Stevens Point College Republicans this year, she said, and only decided to run for Senate after her trip to Washington earlier this summer. She plans to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science next year.
During her interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week, she said, “I see what’s going on in our country,” noting she recently visited Washington.
“I realized how much DC is (dominated) by these polished politicians. I realized there is a need for a change in our political system. We need some new faces with new ideas,” she said.
“I am not a politician, and I do not want to be a politician,” said Raveendran, who immigrated to the US in 2011 from India, where she was a nurse and midwife. She lived in California before moving to Wisconsin in 2017.
“I’m a regular person who knows the situations in regular people’s lives,” she added.
Raveendran became a US citizen in 2015. That means she will have been a citizen for nine years in 2024 — the minimum number of years needed to be a Senator, media reports said.
Raveendran said her campaign would focus on securing the border and cracking down on illicit drugs like fentanyl, stopping illegal immigration and advocating for “medical freedom”, suggesting she is opposed to vaccine mandates. Republican US Representative Tom Tiffany last week announced he would not run against Baldwin, and Gallagher, Republicans’ top choice candidate, has also declined to run.
Raveendran has said that she supported former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 and is supporting him again in 2024.
(Source: PTI)