WASHINGTON — India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, recently held wide-ranging discussions with Jacob Helberg, the newly appointed US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, to review and strengthen the India–US economic partnership.
Sharing details on X on Wednesday (Indian time), Kwatra said he congratulated Helberg on taking charge of his new role and exchanged views on key pillars of the bilateral economic agenda. The discussion covered progress toward a mutually beneficial trade agreement, strategic trade dialogue, and deeper cooperation in advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Helberg assumed office in mid-October after previously serving as an Advisor to the White House Council of Economic Advisors. He is also the founder of the bipartisan The Hill and Valley Forum, which bridges engagement between Silicon Valley leaders and US lawmakers. According to the US State Department, Helberg has worked closely with members of Congress on national security issues related to China, and between 2022 and 2024 served on the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, advocating stronger industrial self-reliance and tariffs.
His professional background includes roles as Senior Advisor to the CEO of Palantir Technologies, early-stage investments in high-growth technology companies, global leadership for Search policy at Google, and being part of the founding team at GeoQuant.
The meeting comes amid a series of recent high-level engagements between Indian officials and US policymakers. On November 24, Kwatra also met Jay Obernolte, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Research and Technology under the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Their talks focused on strengthening cooperation in science, innovation, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies.
Last week, Kwatra held discussions with John Barrasso, the Senate Majority Whip and a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. According to the ambassador, the conversations centered on advancing the strategic partnership between India and the United States, including balanced trade growth, increased oil and gas trade, and enhanced defense and security collaboration.
Earlier in October, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, said trade talks between the two countries are progressing steadily and expressed confidence in moving toward a fair and equitable bilateral trade agreement in the near future.
