As assistant secretary for south and central Asian affairs on the US division of state from 2013 to 2017, Nisha Biswal was probably the most seen Indian American faces within the administration of then US President Barack Obama. Now as president of the high-profile US-India Enterprise Council and senior vice chairman for South Asia at the US Chamber of Commerce, her position is to supply strategic steerage on a number of key areas together with international safety, sustainability, and local weather. Biswal, who has had expertise throughout sectors together with as senior adviser on the Albright Stonebridge Group; assistant administrator for Asia on the US Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID), and workers member on the Capitol Hill and the US Home of Representatives, spoke to TIMESOFINDIA.com on a spread of subjects from the rising variety of Indian Individuals within the Biden administration to commerce as the subsequent frontier for Indo-US ties. Edited excerpts from the interview.
There are a lot of Indian Individuals within the Biden administration; what are the challenges that they face; particularly the ladies of Indian origin who're in senior positions?
We've definitely seen a really robust presence of Indian Individuals in each the Obama administration and now within the Biden administration. There was a superb illustration of Indian Individuals within the Trump administration as properly. It's because there was an amazing give attention to bringing in a variety of views, experiences and backgrounds to the US authorities to mirror US inhabitants and its composition. For Indian American girls and all girls of color, the problem is from our institutional programs and biases which are likely to maybe grow to be an obstacle. However I might additionally say that in our governmental establishment girls are making nice strides, and maybe stronger advances in authorities than different establishments. Nevertheless, generally girls of color coming into authorities do not have the expertise or the networks that may assist them get issues executed. I used to be very fortunate that I got here with over a decade and a half of expertise on Capitol Hill. And I had very deep relationships in Congress that basically helped me after I was in authorities, each in with the ability to construct Congressional assist for the problems that I used to be engaged on and with the ability to faucet into my community. The expertise that I had acquired in working throughout the political spectrum additionally helped. Construct coalitions and negotiating outcomes are essential abilities; and I feel that generally when they're coming in from academia, for instance, sensible expertise and networks are some issues that girls of color do not have. We've to seek out methods to strengthen and assist them.
How has your expertise on the US Congress and the Home of Representatives helped you in your future assignments?
I've had what could be described as considerably of motley work historical past in that I've moved round in many alternative fields and had completely different experiences. My dad at one level mentioned, 'you already know, Nisha, you modified jobs, like individuals change hairstyles'. For me, whether or not I used to be working with the American Crimson Cross abroad or whether or not I used to be working up on Capitol Hill [seat of US government], I used to be at all times motivated by curiosity about studying and significantly in making an attempt to know how coverage was crafted and why. So, as an illustration, after I was working abroad in humanitarian aid, I needed to know who made the selections of what went the place and why and the way a lot. In Washington DC, after I was within the govt department, I used to be very interested in how Congressional earmarks and priorities have been set and why. Then I went to the NGO neighborhood as forward of public coverage, I labored in direction of making advocacy more practical and sensible. Once I joined the Obama administration, I got here with all of this variety of expertise, which I feel helped me be a more practical diplomat as a result of not solely did I understand how to construct coalitions within the US authorities throughout quite a lot of points and views, however I knew methods to interact with individuals who had completely different views. My objective was to seek out areas of convergence.
You might have lately mentioned that the India-US relationship is prepared for the subsequent frontier. Will commerce, maybe, be that frontier?
The India-US commerce relationship has been on a really optimistic trajectory; again after I was within the authorities, we have been knocking on $100 billion in two-way commerce and funding and now we're over $150 billion. So, it is undoubtedly all shifting in the precise path. However the query is, for 2 of the most important economies on this planet, is that this bold sufficient? And I might say most undoubtedly it's not. We all know that the potential of the US-India commerce is way increased than the place we're as we speak. This requires each governments to be much more bold and aggressive and prepared to barter and compromise. Commerce negotiations are significantly robust for democracies equivalent to ours as a result of once you open up commerce with one another, there are winners and losers. You might be accommodating one another's industries as a way to develop the general pie and that creates plenty of unease amongst those that really feel that it's higher to guard your market in your home producers relatively than open up for international competitors and funding. And that is a problem for President Biden and Prime Minister Modi. And but neither nation can ignore the two-way financial partnership and the large challenges must be addressed. That is what I imply by saying that the subsequent frontier within the US-India relationship is a commerce and we have to work in direction of a free commerce settlement.
We noticed that there have been quite a few high-profile Diwali celebrations within the US this yr. Do you assume that it is a signal that the Indian American neighborhood is rising a lot stronger?
I feel Indian Individuals are woven into each side of American cultural, educational, financial and political life. You see Indian Individuals within the arts and scientific fields and naturally within the company sector as leaders of a number of the most outstanding firms in America. It's pure that as Indian Individuals achieve prominence throughout the nation, Indian tradition and traditions additionally grow to be extra mainstream. There's a a lot higher focus now in a number of college districts throughout the US to have fun Diwali. Kids are given the time off, very similar to you may see for Hanukkah or Christmas. And that is a recognition of the significance of the Indian American neighborhood in American life. It is a part of a traditional immigrant story, which is that the primary waves of immigrants that are available in hold their heads down. They give attention to securing their household livelihood and do not essentially interact throughout society; however as successive generations plant their roots in American soil, their concepts, traditions and tradition additionally take root in America. A few of the most superb Diwali celebrations have been held in Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey.