USAID Mission Director to India, Erin Soto, meeting with some of the Indian diaspora. (photo by Jan Cartwright)
Mission Director Erin Soto, who heads USAID’s Mission in India, met yesterday afternoon in the Ronald Reagan Building with 33 members of the Indian American community. The dialogue was part of a day-long session to explore ways to enhance engagement and partnership between USAID and the Indian diaspora in our development efforts in India.
Soto noted that the Indian American community has much to bring, in terms of expertise, understanding, and resources, to development projects in India. She encouraged participants to network and to familiarize themselves with USAID’s budget cycle.
The participants, who came from a wide variety of organizations throughout the United States, appreciated the opportunity to come together as a group, to get questions answers, and to hear about the programs and priorities of USAID’s work in India.
Anju Bhargava, a member of the White House Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships from 2009 to 2010 and one of the participants of the event said, said, “The in-depth discussions through the various speakers, as well as with the USAID Mission head, gave us, the Indian American community, an insight into the process. Now we have to develop our capacity and partner with USAID to leverage the talent of our Diaspora to strengthen America’s strategic interest.”
Learn more about USAID’s activities in India.
