EXPERTS ADVISORY

University of Michigan experts can discuss the importance of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first state visit to the United States June 21.

John Ciorciari is a professor and associate dean for research and policy engagement at the Ford School of Public Policy and director of the Ford School’s International Policy Center and Weiser Diplomacy Center. His research focuses on international law and politics in the Global South.

“Modi’s state visit indicates India’s importance to the evolving U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy,” he said. “Rather than chastising India for its close continuing ties to Russia, the Biden administration is working hard to wean New Delhi away by selling India advanced drones and co-producing other weapons.

“Rather than giving Modi the cold shoulder for democratic backsliding, U.S. officials are giving him a rare opportunity to address Congress. This is how a government treats its close friends—and those it most hopes to draw into that category.”

Contact: 734-615-6947, johncior@umich.edu

M.S. Krishnan is a professor of technology and operations and the Accenture Professor of Computer Information Systems at the Ross School of Business. He also is the faculty director for the school’s Business+Tech, C.K. Prahalad and India initiatives.

“This visit by PM Modi is significant given the current global geopolitical and economic context,” he said. “India is emerging as the global economy’s largest market for products and resources, and is already the largest nation in the world by population, with over 1.4 billion people.

“The growing middle class in the Indian economy makes it one of the most attractive markets for consumption. The broader digital transformation in the business and society underway in India has added hundreds of millions of Indians to the global financial system and significantly improved the ease of business in India.”

Contact: 734-763-6749, mskrish@umich.edu