The U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) has announced that Usha Vance, the Second Lady of the United States, will serve as the keynote speaker for its eighth annual Leadership Summit scheduled on Monday, June 2, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Usha Vance, an accomplished Indian-American lawyer, holds the distinction of being the first Indian-American to serve as the Second Lady of the U.S. Born to Indian immigrants from Andhra Pradesh and raised in suburban San Diego, California, she has been recognized for her academic excellence and professional achievements. Vance studied at top-tier institutions including Cambridge and Yale University. During her time at Yale, she served in editorial leadership roles, including Managing Editor for the Yale Journal of Law & Technology and Executive Development Editor for The Yale Law Journal, as per her biography on the Munger, Tolles & Olson law firm website.
This year’s summit will also celebrate prominent industry figures whose efforts have significantly bolstered the economic cooperation among the United States, India, and Japan. The 2025 USISPF Annual Leadership Award will honor:
- Arvind Krishna, Chairman, President & CEO of IBM
- Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group
- Toshiaki Higashihara, Executive Chairman of Hitachi Ltd.
These three executives are being recognized for their pivotal roles in strengthening trilateral business relations and driving innovation across global markets.
The USISPF Leadership Summit is widely regarded as the most influential U.S.-India-focused forum in Washington, D.C. It draws senior government officials, major business leaders, diplomats, congressional members, and key decision-makers from both nations. The 2025 edition promises high-level dialogue aimed at shaping the next phase of the U.S.-India partnership, with added engagement from Japan’s top leadership and corporate representatives.
The participation of Usha Vance adds significant symbolic and diplomatic weight to this gathering, reflecting the growing prominence of Indian-Americans in shaping bilateral ties at the highest levels of U.S. leadership.
