U.S. Department of State Grant: Deepening Understanding of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership

Project Goal: A group of Indian opinion leaders will have a deeper understanding of the extent, scope, and significance U.S.-India strategic partnership in the current geopolitical scenario; analyze the prospects and challenges of taking it to the next level; recognize that in the present geopolitical scenario, the United States is able and willing to be a partner of choice for India; and disseminate this knowledge to key audiences through media platforms of their choice.    

Program Objectives:

 ·  Within six months of the project period, a group of at least 40 Indian strategic analysts and opinion leaders representing key thematic areas and sectors influencing U.S.-India Defense and Security partnership will engage in a series of (at least four) virtual meetings to analyze the current extent and significance of the partnership and identify prospects and challenges of taking it to the next level.   

·  Within eight months of the project period, the 40 analysts representing different sectors will convene in a city in Southern India to explore cross-sectoral cooperation by participating in a series of interactive engagements, networking opportunities, and site visits, and formulate a media plan to further disseminate the significance of the partnership to key audiences.  

·  Within 10 months of the project period, the grantee will work with the U.S. experts and Indian participants to create/produce/broadcast at least five opinion pieces in leading Indian publications; 10 podcasts and/or interviews with prominent Indian media with significant viewership.

·  Within 12 months of the project period, the grantee will organize follow on virtual meetings with the participants as required and assess the change in understanding and behavior of project participants through curated pre-and post-event polls and surveys and conduct qualitative as well as quantitative analyses of the participants’ traditional and social media output over a period of time, including (but not limited to) writings, interviews, podcasts etc. commissioned as part of the project. 

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