Richard Rossow Joins CSIS as Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following news release:

The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) is pleased to announce that Richard Rossow, who served the last two years as head of the South Asia practice at McLarty Associates and previously as director of operations at the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), has joined CSIS as the Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies.

The chair is made possible by the generous support of the Wadhwani Foundation, which is founded and led by CSIS trustee and Symphony Technology Group CEO Dr. Romesh Wadhwani. Mr. Rossow takes over for Karl "Rick" Inderfurth, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for South Asia, who will remain as a senior adviser at CSIS.

"The U.S.-India relationship is vital to both countries," said John Hamre, CSIS president and CEO. "But right now the relationship is at a crossroads. We need to refocus on economics if we want this to become a truly strategic partnership for the twenty-first century."

The Wadhwani Chair serves as an independent platform in Washington from which to assess major economic, political, and strategic issues in the U.S.-India relationship. It is focused primarily on policies that accelerate economic development in India, as well as the U.S.-India economic relationship.

Mr. Rossow has been a leader in private-sector efforts to increase market access, resolve investor disputes, and discover new business opportunities in India since 1998. During his 10 years at USIBC, the world's leading advocacy group on behalf of strengthening economic ties between the United States and India, he managed the council's policy groups on energy, information technology, insurance, media and entertainment, and telecommunications. He spends an average of two months per year in India.

From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Rossow was with New York Life Insurance Company, most recently as the head of International Government Affairs, where he developed strategic plans for the company's global mergers and acquisitions work and sought to influence regulations in the company's overseas markets, especially India.

"The collaboration between India and the United States on policy initiatives has progressed well, albeit with some headwinds along the way," said Dr. Wadhwani. "There is a significant and growing opportunity to develop focused programs for the benefit of both nations."

"No other think tank in Washington is as focused on the U.S.-India economic relationship as CSIS, with the support of the Wadhwani Foundation. Richard Rossow brings real-world experience, creative ideas, and a positive, pragmatic approach to reaching top policymakers in both countries. We are delighted he will be building on the strong foundation that Rick Inderfurth leaves behind."

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