Former US Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed as the new Advisor to the Board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). Along with this, he will also lead the USISPF Geopolitical Institute as its chairman.
Who is Taranjit Singh Sandhu?
Sandhu is a well known name in the diplomatic circles and has served as India’s Ambassador to the United States until his retirement form the Indian Foreign Services in February last year. He is expected to provide guidance to the Forum on key international projects and partnerships such as that India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, the Indo-Pacific Quad, and the I2U2 group, which brings together India, Israel, US, and the UAE.
Sandhu: A key player in strengthening ties
Sandhu’s new role is a natural extension of his past work. During his four years as Ambassador in Washington, he worked closely with USISPF and played a major part in deepening India-US relations. During his time, some of the major diplomatic milestones included Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official state visit to the US in June 2023, Joe Biden’s participation in the G20 Summit hosted in India, and current US President Donald Trump’s first visit to India in February 2020.
Sandhu expressed enthusiasm about joining USISPF and said that the India-US relationship has grown into a strong global strategic partnership. He shared his commitment to helping further strengthen this important bond through his new position.
Sandhu’s key role at USISPF
At the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Taranjit Singh Sandhu will focus on boosting cooperation through the Quad group, especially in areas like defence, public health and advanced technology. He will also support the development of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which aims to improve infrastructure and trade links between the three regions.
In addition, Sandhu will offer his knowledge to the I2U2 group. This group is a partnership between India, Israel, the US, and the UAE which was formed during his time as ambassador in Washington.
Apart from working on policies, Sandhu is also known for strengthening ties between people of both countries. He built strong connections with the Indian community in the US, which is seen as an important part of maintaining the India-US relationship.