Director engages with senior leaders in India

The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies recently conducted key leader engagements in New Delhi, India, highlighting India’s strategic partnership with the United States.

Director Suzanne Vares-Lum accompanied USINDOPACOM Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on engagements in Kathmandu, Nepal and New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Bangalore in India, meeting with senior leaders and U.S. Embassy partners to deepen dialogue on shared security priorities.

The visit underscored the impact of India’s DKI APCSS alumni at the highest levels of leadership, including engagement with the U.S. Ambassador to India Honorable Sergio Gor, the Chief of Indian Navy Adm. Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, alumnus retired Air Chief Marshal Michael Fernandez, and Gen. Anil Chauhan, the current Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces.

With Admiral Paparo, Director Vares-Lum engaged in high level dialogue on a variety of topics, including regional security, operations, defense industry and continued cooperation with the United States, particularly with DKI APCSS on courses, events and projects.

A highlight of the visit was an alumni mentoring event with more than 50 distinguished DKI APCSS alumni in attendance. Admiral Paparo was a special guest at the event and took questions from the audience after addressing the Indian Alumni.

Following the commander’s remarks the Director Vares-Lum emphasized the continuing partnership with India, and she emphasized her eagerness to develop this partnership further and strengthen relationships further. Also present at the DKI APCSS India Alumni Event in New Delhi, were Defense Attaché, Maj. Gen. Pat Teague; Col. Matthew A. Kohler, Field Artillery – army attaché, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, Defense Attaché Office; Ms. Shehzi Khan, Director of the Joint Interagency Coordination Group at USINDOPACOM; and Lt. Col. Anthony Hughes, Director of Defense Cooperation in Armaments and Space, U.S. Military Group – India at the U.S. Embassy.

Director Vares-Lum also met with a group of about 16 senior alumni for a breakfast roundtable, including former chiefs of the air force, army, and navy, as well as ambassadors and senior representatives from academia, think tanks and the civil service. During the meeting, they discussed the DKI APCSS’ new mentoring program and how to foster a continuing partnership with the India alumni. The director and the senior group of alumni exchanged views on the regional security picture and discussed proposals to strengthen the Indian Alumni Association and expand cooperation.

Overall, the Indian Alumni were energized by the presence of various high officials from the United States, and it demonstrated America’s continued interested in developing and expanding its bilateral relationship in trade, commerce, technology, AI, cyber, defense, and defense industrial production.

During an alumni event, Vares-Lum recognized alumni Mr. Kartik Bommakanti and Capt. Ranendra Singh Sawan, who completed their Fellows projects, by presenting them with “Laulima” lanyards. Laulima means “many hands working together” and symbolizes collaborative solutions to challenges ranging from cybersecurity to disaster response. She also presented Letters of Congratulations to recently retired and promoted alumni.

It was incredibly inspiring to meet our alumni in India,” Vares-Lum said. “They have such fond memories of their time at the Center and credit their success in tackling complex security issues to the education and network they gained with us. They truly live up to our motto of educating, connecting, and empowering, and continue to make a profound difference for peace and security.”