Washington, D.C: The Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University, in partnership with Indiaspora, will host the second annual Hopkins India Conference on April 1–2, 2026, at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, convening leaders from government, industry, academia, and civil society to advance dialogue on the future of U.S.–India collaboration.
Building on a highly successful inaugural conference in 2025, which drew senior policymakers, global experts, and industry leaders from both countries, the 2026 edition expands in scale, ambition, and format. The conference has quickly established itself as a leading platform for substantive, cross-sector engagement on India–U.S. relations, with a clear focus on moving conversations toward collaboration and action.
(Graphic courtesy: Hopkins India Conference)
This year’s theme, “Ideas, Innovation, and Impact for a Shared Future,” reflects India’s growing role as a global center of knowledge, technology, and problem-solving. The program will examine key issues shaping the bilateral partnership, including geopolitics, emerging technologies, climate, economic cooperation, global health, and education.
A defining feature of the 2026 conference is its expanded two-day structure, designed to distinguish it from traditional policy convenings.
Day One (April 1, 2026) will feature a public conference with keynote addresses and plenary panels, including a keynote by Ambassador Namgya C. Khampa, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C. Sessions will bring together leading voices from institutions such as Brookings, CSIS, Hudson Institute, and the Center for a New American Security, alongside industry leaders and innovators, such as Wadhwani AI, General Atomics Global Corporation, and Cognite.
Day Two (April 2, 2026) will shift from dialogue to curated, closed-door roundtables, enabling smaller, focused discussions among 60+ subject-matter experts. These sessions are structured to foster peer exchange, generate actionable insights, and build partnerships across priority U.S.–India areas.
“The response to last year’s conference made it clear that there is strong demand for a platform that brings together diverse stakeholders working on India–U.S. engagement,” said Dr. Amita Gupta, Faculty Co-Chair of the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute. “This year, we have expanded the format to deepen engagement, connect ideas to action, and create space for more focused collaboration across sectors.”
Reflecting on the inaugural edition, Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora, noted, “Indiaspora was delighted to partner with the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute for their inaugural Hopkins India Conference. The caliber of speakers and the thoughtfulness of discussions left me wanting more. I am confident that this event will become a mainstay among prominent India–U.S. university conferences.”
The conference will also feature sessions on India’s role in a fragmenting global economy, the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, the growth of India’s deep technology ecosystem, and new models of philanthropy in a constrained global funding environment. A dedicated session on climate and community resilience, alongside a photo exhibition by Goonj, will highlight grassroots perspectives and community-led solutions. The conference will also include Megha Majumdar, whose was featured on Oprah’s Book Club Picks, examining questions of climate, morality, power, and institutional failure through her latest work A Guardian and A Thief.
The Hopkins India Conference stands out for its integration of policy, practice, and innovation, bringing together voices that do not typically share the same stage. By combining public dialogue with closed-door collaboration, the conference creates a platform that not only examines challenges but also advances solutions.
Register for the conference: https://indiainstitute.jhu.edu/hopkins-india-conference-2026/
