Monday, 16 December 2024 | New Delhi

The 3rd Annual Leadership Summit, organized by SAWIE and supported by USAID, brought together an inspiring group of leaders, including senior officials from the Indian and U.S. governments, industry pioneers, and energy experts from across South Asia. This event was a platform to discuss the pivotal role of women in shaping a sustainable energy future.

Inaugural Session

The summit opened with insightful remarks that set the tone for the day:

• Welcome Remarks: Ms. Nivedita Mehra, Managing Director – India, USISPF
• Special Address: Ambassador Eric Garcetti, United States Ambassador to India
• Opening Remarks: Dr. Steven Olive, Mission Director – India and Bhutan, USAID
• Industry Remarks: Ms. Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-Founder & Chairperson Sustainability, ReNewCorp; Chairperson, SAWIE

This session emphasized the importance of leadership in driving innovation and sustainability in the energy sector.

Session 1: Stories from the Boardroom

Theme: The Critical Role of Mentoring and Sponsorship
Moderator: Mr. Parikshit Luthra, Chief of Bureau, CNBC TV18
Speakers:

• Ms. Mansi Madan Tripathy, Chairperson – Shell Group of Companies India & Vice President, Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific
• Ms. Vartika Shukla, Chairman & Managing Director, Engineers India Limited

The discussion highlighted personal experiences and strategies to mentor the next generation of leaders, focusing on the value of sponsorship.

Session 2: Women Leadership in Renewable Energy

Theme: Opportunities and Challenges
Moderator: Ms. Monali Zeya Hazra, Senior Regional Energy Specialist, USAID/India
Speakers:

• Dr. Tripta Thakur, Director General, NPTI, Ministry of Power
• Dr. Rachana Garg, Professor, Delhi Technological University
• Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI
• Ms. Gauri Jauhar, Executive Director, S&P Global Commodity Insights
• Ms. Mahua Acharya, Founder & CEO, INTENT

The panel explored the challenges women face in the renewable energy sector and the opportunities for transformative leadership.

Session 3: Creating an Inclusive Workforce for the Future

Moderator: Ms. Namrata Mukherjee, USAID India
Speakers:

• Ms. Shalini Sarin, Co-Founder, Elektromobilitat
• Mr. Ashish Aggarwal, Chief Administrative Officer, Cummins India
• Ms. Ritika Thakur, Chief Commercial Officer, Honeywell India
• Ms. Chitra Chhabra, Director – Human Resources, Emerson India
• Ms. Swati Sahai, Director – Government Affairs, GE Vernova
• Ms. Kiran Gupta, Chief, Tata Power-DDL

This session focused on strategies to create diverse and inclusive workplaces to drive growth and innovation in the energy sector.

Session 4: Financing Women-Led Energy Ventures

Moderator: Ms. Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President & CEO, Startup Policy Forum
Speakers:

• Ms. Mehnaz Ansari, Senior Regional Representative, USTDA
• Ms. Vibhuti Garg, Director, South Asia, IEEFA
• Dr. Suranjali Tandon, Associate Professor, NIPFP
• Ms. Mani Khurana, Senior Energy Specialist, The World Bank

This discussion revolved around financing mechanisms to support women-led energy ventures, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

Session 5: Fireside Conversation on Future of Leadership

Moderator: Mr. Aaron Schubert, Director, USAID India
Speakers:

• Ms. Tahesha L. Way, Lt. Governor, State of New Jersey, USA
• Ms. Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-Founder & Chairperson Sustainability, ReNewCorp; Chairperson, SAWIE

The conversation provided leadership insights on resilience, equity, and sustainability.

Closing Remarks

The summit concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Monali Zeya Hazra, reflecting on the insightful discussions and the road ahead for empowering women leaders in energy.

Friday, December 13, 2024 | New Delhi

We are thrilled to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA).

This partnership aims to enhance collaboration on private equity, venture capital, and alternate capital funds. We will work on key initiatives such as industry issues and climate-related projects. Our joint efforts will assist the government with advisory inputs and raise awareness through conferences and workshops, ultimately aligning industry interests with government policies.

This MoU marks a significant step towards strengthening public-private sector partnerships and driving economic growth in the US-India corridor.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 | New Delhi

USISPF organized a roundtable discussion titled “Digitization of R&D: Through Digital Innovations”. The discussion was chaired by Honorable Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Prime minister, Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, and joined by representatives from the government in Dr. Manish Diwan, Department of Biotechnology, Shri. RS Mani, CSIR India, Shri. Rajeshwar Singh Jenwar, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

The discussion touched upon the current status of digitization in India, key government interventions across the sectors, and recommendations to adopt the digitization practices and their impact.

Friday, December 06, 2024 | New Delhi

The discussion focused on the enhancement of Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) in India. The meeting was convened to explore and recommend measures aimed at strengthening the management of stressed assets.

In addition, recommendations were shared to improve the effectiveness and resilience of ARCs, fostering a more robust and efficient framework for distressed asset resolution in India.

Thursday, December 05, 2024 | New Delhi

The Hon. Minister outlined India’s vision as a strategic investment destination, shedding light on India’s renewable energy landscape and its ambitious targets to combat climate change while ensuring energy security. The minister invited American companies and investors to look at investment opportunities in manufacturing and capacity build-up for solar power, electrolyzes, wind and battery space, and green hydrogen, among other sectors. The discussions stressed the importance of ensuring a sustainable and resilient supply of critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, vital for renewable energy technologies. We extend our gratitude to Mr. Ajay Yadav, Joint Secretary, MNRE, for his support, and Mr. Aseem Kumar, Director, MNRE, for facilitating this productive dialogue.

Thursday, December 05, 2024 | Washington, D.C.

Dr. Subramanian spoke about his latest book titled India@100: Envisioning Tomorrow’s Economic Powerhouse.

In this book talk, Dr. Subramanian shed light on why investors should be bullish on India, and how the world’s largest democracy will strive to hit a phenomenal figure of potentially hitting an unprecedented $55 trillion economy by the year 2047 – the centenary year of India’s independence.

Dr. Subramanian’s work speaks of economic reforms and doubling down on economic policies implemented post-2014.

The book is for investors bullish on India and why India is a long game with sound returns.

Conversation moderated by Malachy Nugent

Monday, December 02, 2024 | Nava Raipur

The Chief Minister presented a compelling vision for the state’s strategic investment opportunities, emphasizing its immense potential across key sectors. He extended a warm invitation to U.S. companies to explore Chhattisgarh’s vibrant ecosystem and collaborate on driving innovation and economic growth.

Monday, December 02, 2024 | Nava Raipur

USISPF leadership engaged with entrepreneurs from Chhattisgarh, discussing the state’s business and startup ecosystem.

We thank Ms. Ritu Sain, OSD-cum-Investment Commissioner, Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation, for facilitating this insightful exchange.