India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Mohan Kwatra, and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, Jacob Helberg, discussed enhancing the India-U.S. economic partnership, focusing on trade, technology, and artificial intelligence.
WASHINGTON — India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, recently engaged in extensive discussions with Jacob Helberg, the newly appointed U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. Their meeting aimed to review and strengthen the economic partnership between India and the United States.
Kwatra shared insights about the discussions on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Indian time. He congratulated Helberg on his new role and exchanged views on critical aspects of the bilateral economic agenda. The dialogue encompassed progress toward a mutually beneficial trade agreement, a strategic trade dialogue, and enhanced cooperation in advanced technologies, particularly in artificial intelligence.
Helberg, who assumed office in mid-October, previously served as an advisor to the White House Council of Economic Advisors. He is the founder of the bipartisan The Hill and Valley Forum, which facilitates engagement between Silicon Valley leaders and U.S. lawmakers. According to the U.S. State Department, Helberg has collaborated closely with members of Congress on national security issues related to China. From 2022 to 2024, he served on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, advocating for stronger industrial self-reliance and tariffs.
His professional background includes significant roles such as Senior Advisor to the CEO of Palantir Technologies, involvement in early-stage investments in high-growth technology companies, global leadership for Search policy at Google, and being part of the founding team at GeoQuant.
This meeting is part of a series of recent high-level engagements between Indian officials and U.S. policymakers. On November 24, Kwatra met with Jay Obernolte, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Research and Technology under the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Their discussions focused on bolstering cooperation in science, innovation, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies.
Additionally, last week, Kwatra held talks with John Barrasso, the Senate Majority Whip and a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. According to the ambassador, these conversations centered on advancing the strategic partnership between India and the United States, with an emphasis on balanced trade growth, increased oil and gas trade, and enhanced defense and security collaboration.
Earlier in October, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, remarked that trade talks between the two nations are progressing steadily. He expressed confidence in moving toward a fair and equitable bilateral trade agreement in the near future.
As both nations continue to engage at high levels, the focus remains on fostering a robust economic partnership that addresses mutual interests in trade, technology, and security.
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