Veteran Indian Diplomat Taranjit Sandhu Joins US-India Forum With Top Role

Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed Advisor to the Board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and Chairman of its newly established Geopolitical Institute. The veteran Indian diplomat and former envoy to the United States has a diplomatic career spanning nearly 40 years.

"I am delighted to join the US India Strategic Partnership Forum as Chairman of its Geopolitical Institute," Mr Sandhu said. "I have had the opportunity to work on as well as follow the India-US story for over three decades. The relationship has evolved into a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, underpinned by shared values and interests, matured in character and nurtured by the vibrant people-to-people ties between the two countries."

He will now guide USISPF's strategic initiatives, particularly focusing on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), the Quad (India, Japan, Australia, US), and the I2U2 grouping comprising India, Israel, the US, and the UAE.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump brought "renewed vigour" to the partnership through the India-US COMPACT, with a focus on defence, energy, trade, and technology, he said.

Mr Sandhu's association with USISPF is not new. During his tenure as India's Ambassador to the US from 2020 to 2024, he worked closely with the Forum to deepen bilateral ties.

His diplomatic career also includes three stints in Washington, DC, including serving as Deputy Chief of Mission under then-Ambassador S Jaishankar.

He played a key role in organising events such as PM Modi's 2014 Madison Square Garden address, Trump's 2020 India visit, and the 2024 state visit of PM Modi to Washington.

"New Delhi has always sent its brightest minds to Washington, but few have come more experienced in understanding the contours of US-India relations than Ambassador Sandhu," said Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO of USISPF. "Having worked closely with Ambassador Sandhu during his diplomatic days, I am eager to engage with him in this new avatar, this time with his new USISPF hat."

As Chair of the Geopolitical Institute, Mr Sandhu will help shape USISPF's approach to evolving geopolitical dynamics, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. His focus areas will include defence cooperation, vaccine diplomacy, critical and emerging technologies, and energy partnerships. He will also offer strategic insights on regional initiatives like IMEC and I2U2, both of which gained significant momentum during his tenure in Washington.