A high powered new think tank is in the process of being set up in Washington, DC - the US-INDIA INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC POLICY (USINISP). Its purpose is to significantly advance US-India strategic relations by enhancing the *defense, security and economic relationships* to the mutual advantage of both countries.
The Institute will be a politically independent, nonprofit, public policy institute, which will be staffed by knowledgeable professionals and scholars experienced in the fields of defense, national security and economics. The Institute would be the fulcrum in the US on India-US issues -- a go-to source for key decision and opinion makers in the US and India and would play a leading role in helping policy makers, members of Congress, business leaders, the media and the pubic apprised of developments on the key issues of defense, national security and economic relations between the two countries.
USINISP will be a unique institution in that it would address *exclusively* US-India strategic relations concentrating only on the *bilateral issues of defense, security and economics*. While there are other institutions and think tanks in the US, their focus is much broader and their India (or South Asia) programs cover a wide variety of issues.
The new Institute would initially be linked to the Center for Security Policy (a Washington DC-based think tank) to access its vast network of defense and security practitioners in the US. In the early phase of the Institute, the Center would serve as the formative secretariat and incubator and would oversee its development and rapid integration into the US policy community and the media.
USINISP would prepare reports and detailed studies and analyses for the US policy-making community (the executive and legislative branches, the armed forces and appropriate independent agencies), the press (domestic and foreign), the business and financial communities, and the public at large. These studies would be objective and analytical in nature, evaluating the costs and benefits of alternatives, where appropriate.
The Institute would distance itself from preconceived notions of being either pro-US or pro-India. All the Institute's work will be focused on finding common ground, where it exists, to enhance US-India ties and examining alternate points of view, where there are differences, to enhance the understanding of one side by the other. Thus, the analyses -- which could be in the form of briefing notes, short reports or longer analytical documents -- would cover various issues associated with defense, security, terrorism and economic relationships and the complex interactions between these issues.
These studies would be topical in nature, addressing and analyzing current issues in order to help both countries avoid false assumptions and misperceptions, read current developments with the same perspective, provide greater clarity to policy makers and opinion leaders, assist them in understanding the issues and perceptions in the other country, and foster a constructive and substantive dialogue on issues of mutual interest.
USINISP would also sponsor conferences, roundtables, policy luncheons and dinners in the Washington area and around the country. Key officials from the US and Indian administrations responsible for defense, security and economic matters would be frequent guests and speakers at these events.
The Institute would also send speakers to policy forums and college campuses. Speakers would not only include members of the Institute's own staff, but also experts serving in other institutions identified and recruited by the organization to aid in fulfilling its mission. To that end, the Institute would establish links with other institutions and think tanks in the US and India with the objective of sharing information and analyses and, where appropriate, developing joint work programs.
The Institute would also disseminate information to the public through the publication of journal articles and newspaper columns. This effort would not just focus on Washington, but would include placement in regional media and other grass roots efforts as well, while also making extensive use of the Internet and other computerized and electronic media.
The driving force behind the new *US-India Institute for Strategic Policy* is Washington, DC based Armeane M. Choksi, President & CEO of Rubicon Capital Investments, LLC. Armeane Choksi will be USINISP's first Executive Director. The Institute is expected to start functioning from the summer of 2003.
