Strobe Talbott moots private participation in public policy during India tour

Our Economy Bureau
25 September 2004

Talbott commenced his interactions in Mumbai with a roundtable on ''leadership in public policy: engaging the private sector'' chaired by Dr J. J. Irani, director Tata Sons, Talbott said India and the US are uniquely positioned to shape and influence the process of globalisation on September 23 in Mumbai. "The world''s largest democracy and the oldest democracy can make a common cause," he said.

"The private sector, through ORF-Brookings partnership, can contribute. towards shaping Indian and US foreign policy.," he said, adding, public policy should be oriented towards rewarding private sector to do more.

Speaking on the occasion, R K Mishra, chairman of the Observer Research Foundation, said, the ORF-Brookings Institution partnership was a first step in the direction of involving the corporate sector in public policy.

Brookings Institution, Talbott explained, had entered into a partnership with ORF because "we share a common vision about the world we, want to create". He said the research conducted by ORF-Brookings will have ''utility''. Calling upon the private sector to enter into ''social contract'' with independent research, Talbott said it will eventually benefit the business community.

Among those participating in the round table were, Anu Aga, chairperson, Thermax Limited, K Satish Reddy, managing director and, CEO Dr Reddy''s Laboratories Limited, P Krishnamurthy, vice chairman, J M Morgan Stanley, K Ramachandran, managing director and CEO Philips India Limited.

On September 24, Talbott also participated in discussion meeting on ''geopolitics of South Asia and US foreign policy: outlining the priorities.''