Memos to the President

In this episode of Memos to the President, Ylli sits down with Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director of ORF America, to take a deep dive into the complex and evolving role of India on the world stage.
Recorded in late January 2026, the conversation explores how India is navigating its relationship with a "pure competitor" in China and a shifting partnership with the United States. Jaishankar provides an expert assessment of why India's generation of strategic thinkers is more "bullish" than ever, despite significant trade frictions and high tariffs currently impacting bilateral ties.
00:00 – Intro: 20 Years of Perspective on D.C. and Delhi 
01:25 – India’s Role in a Changing World Order 
01:53 – The Superpower at the Doorstep: Managing China 
03:00 – A New Generation of Strategic Thinkers 
05:25 – Navigating a World Beyond the U.S. and China 
06:08 – Looking Toward 2050: Challenges and Optimism 
07:53 – The Paradox of U.S.-India Relations: Friction vs. Cooperation 
08:14 – The Tariff Trouble: 50% Levies and Trade Sticking Points 
08:51 – Defense as the New Cornerstone of the Partnership 
09:13 – People-to-People Ties: The Largest Indian Diaspora 
12:24 – The Path to a Comprehensive Bilateral Trade Deal 
13:34 – The Russia Oil Factor and Global Energy Markets 
14:37 – India’s AI Strategy: Data, Talent, and Use Cases 
16:30 – Building Models vs. Building Applications: The R&D Debate 
18:47 – Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the AI Age 
19:39 – Recommendations for the U.S.-India Tech Relationship 
21:43 – Previewing the AI Impact Summit in Delhi 
23:43 – Leading the Global South: Reforming International Institutions 
26:40 – Why U.S. and India Should Collaborate in Third Markets 
28:52 – The India-Pakistan "Deep Freeze" and Terrorism Policy 
32:52 – The Diminishing Strategic Value of the Iran Relationship 
34:22 – Russia-India Dynamics: Diversifying Defense and Space 
36:52 – The Concerns Over the Russia-China "No Limits" Friendship 
41:00 – De-risking from China: The Battle for Data and Tech Sovereignty 
43:15 – Outro: The Future of ORF America Cooperation

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!
Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this episode of Memos to the President, Ylli sits down for a second time at the AI+ Fusion Summit with the United States Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright. In their conversation, Secretary Wright urges prioritizing fusion alongside AI and quantum, rebalancing energy spending, and previews the DOE’s next six months.
Watch Memos to the President.

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!
Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this episode, SCSP President Ylli Bajraktari sits down with Brian Moore, Chief Policy Officer at Bot Auto, to unpack how artificial intelligence is reshaping the auto industry and the broader U.S. industrial base. They discuss what it takes to deploy AI responsibly at scale—from transforming manufacturing and logistics to ensuring safety, transparency, and workforce readiness. Moore shares insights from Bot Auto’s work at the intersection of technology and policy, where innovation meets regulation and ethics meets implementation.

Together, Ylli and Brian explore how policymakers and industry leaders can build trust in AI systems, maintain America’s competitive edge, and strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors. They reflect on the lessons learned from the early days of automation, the future of human–machine partnership, and the global race to define the standards of responsible AI. Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!

Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive
Studies Project.

Luke Murry, former National Security Advisor to Speaker Kevin McCarthy and now Head of Government Affairs at Marvell Technology, joins host Ylli Bajraktari on the National Mall to discuss his career trajectory, the evolution of U.S.-China tech competition, and the intersection of government and the private sector.
Watch Memos to the President on YouTube.

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!
Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this episode, Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries, discusses his journey from Oculus VR to focusing on national security. He explains his decision to enter the defense industry in 2017, highlighting the challenges of the time, including the tech industry's reluctance to work on military problems and its dependence on China. 
Luckey emphasizes Anduril's mission as a defense products company, contrasting it with traditional contractors, and details some of their autonomous systems like robotic submarines, fighter jets, and surveillance towers. He also shares his observations on the war in Ukraine, the shifting sentiment towards defense technology, and his strong stance on lethal autonomous weapons systems, advocating for their use to achieve greater precision and ethical warfare.

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!
Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.