On August 1, a powerful strategic partnership between the U.S. and India was officially launched in New Delhi by India’s Finance and Defense Minister Arun Jaitley . The U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), a nonprofit corporation, will focus on stimulating business relations between the U.S. and India, and enhance the strategic relationship between the two countries.

The Forum will work closely with business and government leaders to achieve its goals of driving economic growth, job creation, innovation, inclusion, and entrepreneurship.

PR Newswire reports that Mukesh Aghi will lead USISPF as president and Gaurav Verma will serve as Chief Operating Officer. The Board of Directors include chairman John Chambers (Executive Chairman, Cisco), vice-chairs Punit Renjen (Global CEO, Deloitte LLP) and Edward Monser (president, Emerson Electric), and Board Members Indra Nooyi (chairman & CEO, PepsiCo), Ajay Banga (president & CEO, MasterCard), Ambassador Susan Esserman (partner, Steptoe & Johnson), Secretary William Cohen (chairman & CEO, The Cohen Group), Purna Saggurti (chairman of Global Corporate & Investment Banking, Bank of America Merrill Lynch), and Ambassador Frank Wisner (International Affairs Advisor, Squire Patton Boggs).

Mukesh Aghi said, “We are confident that we will be able to elevate the U.S.-India partnership to new heights by prioritizing mutual opportunities that will benefit businesses, governments, and citizens in both countries.”