13
November 2020
Past Event
When A Billion People Vote: Managing India’s Democracy

When A Billion People Vote: Managing India’s Democracy

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
November 13, 2020
13
November 2020
Past Event

1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004

Speakers:
Dr. Daniel Twining

President, International Republican Institute (IRI)

Dr. Sandeep Shastri

Pro Vice Chancellor, Jain University

Mr. N. Gopalaswami

Former Chief Election Commissioner of India

aparna_pande
Aparna Pande

Research Fellow, India and South Asia

**Please be advised: This event will premiere LIVE on this page at 9:00 a.m. EDT, Friday, November 13.**

Join Hudson Institute for a discussion examining the Indian democratic experiment, both its successes and challenges, on the heels of the U.S. presidential elections. To discuss this and more, Hudson Institute invites you to a panel discussion with the former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Mr. N. Gopalaswami, Dr Daniel Twining, President, International Republican Institute (IRI) and Dr Sandeep Shastri, Pro Vice Chancellor of the Jain University. Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Dr Aparna Pande will moderate.

At a time when the world over, democracies and democratic norms are facing both domestic and international challenges, the bedrock of the India-U.S. relationship has long been a values based partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies. At the ‘2 plus 2’ ministerial that took place in Delhi in end October 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to the two countries as ‘great democracies, global powers, and good friends.’

India has long remained unique: a post-colonial country, that remained a democracy with strong political institutions, civilian supremacy over its military, and an overall vibrant economy and society. Starting from 1952 when independent India held its first elections with 176 million eligible voters, the country has built an impressive electoral machinery that helps conduct elections at local, state and federal levels. In the 2019 parliamentary elections there were 900 million registered voters, 1 million polling stations, 10 million electoral officials, and over 8000 candidates.

Related Events
07
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Designating the Polisario Front: A Conversation with Rep. Joe Wilson
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Joe Wilson
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) speaks during a news conference hosted by members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus at the Capitol on February 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
07
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Designating the Polisario Front: A Conversation with Rep. Joe Wilson

Michael Doran, director of Hudson’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, will host Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) for a discussion on the strategic benefits of designating the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) speaks during a news conference hosted by members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus at the Capitol on February 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Joe Wilson
09
July 2025
Virtual Event | Invite Only
Israel’s Economic Resilience after October 7: Navigating War and Strategic Pressures
Featured Speakers:
Noach Hacker
Michael Doran
Getty Images
09
July 2025
Virtual Event | Invite Only
Israel’s Economic Resilience after October 7: Navigating War and Strategic Pressures

Noach Hacker, Israel’s minister of economic affairs, will join Hudson’s Michael Doran for a discussion on how Israel has fortified its economic foundations for moments of extreme crisis. 

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Noach Hacker
Michael Doran
11
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Han Kuang Exercise and the Taiwanese Military’s Road to Readiness
Featured Speakers:
RADM Mark Montgomery
Brent Sadler
Bryan Clark
Moderator:
Riley Walters
Getty Images
11
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Han Kuang Exercise and the Taiwanese Military’s Road to Readiness

Hudson’s Riley Walters will discuss what to look for during these exercises and what more Taiwan can do to strengthen its defense posture with a panel of military experts.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
RADM Mark Montgomery
Brent Sadler
Bryan Clark
Moderator:
Riley Walters
17
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Politics, Loyalty, and Survival: A Conversation with Salena Zito
Featured Speakers:
Salena Zito
Paul Sracic
Getty Images
17
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Politics, Loyalty, and Survival: A Conversation with Salena Zito

Journalist and author Salena Zito will join Hudson's Paul Sracic to discuss her new book Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland, releasing July 8. 

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Salena Zito
Paul Sracic