India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, continued his series of high-level engagements in Washington by meeting Jacob Helberg, the recently appointed Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. The discussion touched on several major pillars shaping the future of the India-US partnership, especially trade, technology, and strategic economic cooperation.
Kwatra congratulated Helberg on stepping into his new leadership role and emphasized the opportunity to strengthen ongoing economic dialogue between the two nations. In a post shared on X, the Ambassador noted that their exchange covered topics such as plans for a mutually beneficial trade agreement, progress under the strategic trade dialogue, and collaboration in emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
Helberg, who began his tenure in mid-October, brings a diverse background in technology, national security, and economic policy. Before joining the State Department, he served as an Advisor to the Council of Economic Advisors at the White House. He is also the founder of The Hill and Valley Forum, a bipartisan initiative uniting lawmakers and Silicon Valley leaders to reduce the knowledge gap between policymakers and the tech industry.
The US Department of State highlighted Helberg’s earlier work with Congressional leaders, especially his efforts to address national security concerns related to China. His career includes serving as Senior Advisor to the CEO of Palantir Technologies and investing early in several rapidly growing tech startups. Between 2022 and 2024, he was part of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, where he advocated for policies supporting industrial independence and tighter economic measures regarding China. Helberg also previously led global Search policy at Google and contributed to the founding team of GeoQuant.
Kwatra’s diplomatic outreach extended beyond Helberg. On November 24, he met US Representative Jay Obernolte, who chairs a key House subcommittee on science and technology. Their conversation focused on boosting bilateral cooperation across science, innovation, and AI.
A few days earlier, the Ambassador engaged with Senator John Barrasso, discussing the core elements driving the India-US strategic partnership. He highlighted both countries’ ongoing efforts to secure a balanced trade framework, expand energy trade including oil and gas, and strengthen defense and security ties.
Meanwhile, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal reiterated in October that both countries remain committed to pursuing a fair and equitable trade agreement. According to Goyal, negotiations continue steadily, with teams from both sides working to align priorities and move closer to a mutually agreeable outcome.
