Published By: Soham Halder

Code of Cooperation: How PM Modi’s Strategic Engagement with US Tech CEOs is Reinventing India’s Tech Landscape

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a roundtable with the CEOs of leading American companies in New York.

During the second leg of PM Modi’s 3-day official visit to the US, this meet holds an immense importance to enhance cooperation between India and the US in advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing as well as semiconductors. The global leaders confirmed their commitment to forge ahead the U.S.-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, tauting it the ‘defining partnership of the 21st century’. In this article, we will discuss how this strategic meet can reinvent tech landscape in India.

Advancing Tech Development:

The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) fosters cooperation between two nations in space, semiconductors, and state-of-the-art telecommunications.

A joint venture between Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech, and the U.S. Space Force will develop new semiconductor fabrication plants. Cooperation in AI and biotechnology are set to deepen, with an enhanced focus on building more resilient supply chains.

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“The PM is focused on transforming India with his Digital India vision. He pushed us to continue making in India, designing in India. We are proud to have our Pixel phones being made in India”, the Google CEO Sundar Pichai said after the meet.

Global Research Initiatives:

The U.S.-India Global Challenges Institute and an advanced materials research and development (R&D) forum were inaugurated to conduct joint research programs. 17 new awards for binational research in AI and quantum technology are expected to enhance technological innovations.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said after the roundtable: “India is also home of some of the world's greatest computer scientists. So this is a great opportunity. AI is also a new industry, a new manufacturing industry that's very important and so I'm looking forward to partner with India in a very deep way to make that possible”.

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Defense & Security Cooperation:

A significant progress was observed under the U.S.-India Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, focusing on co-production of jet engines, munitions, along with advanced unmanned surface vehicles.

The India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) initiative witness a remarkable progress during the 3rd INDUS-X Summit in Silicon Valley. A new program focusing on Space Situational Awareness in Low Earth Orbit (SSALEO) was also announced.

The Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA), along with collaborations including Lockheed Martin’s MRO facility for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft will also bolster defense ties.

Cyber and Space Cooperation:

Both the government will appear in bilateral cyber engagement in November 2024 to improve threat information sharing and cybersecurity training. Another major sector which are rapidly advancing is space science with the collaboration between NASA and ISRO. From multiple satellite launch to developing space stations, already various projects are in the pipeline for the upcoming years.

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Clean Energy Transition:

Amidst rising climate change concerns, both the nations approved strategic partnerships for safe clean energy with an aim of $1 billion funding. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) sanctioned loans to Tata Power Solar and First Solar to support renewable energy initiatives in India.

Streamlining the Tech Review & Communication Process:

Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent agency of the U.S. government said: “Now, what we’ve done is we have streamlined the review process for people submitting U.S.-India tech proposals together, jointly as a team, and that’s what we’ve used in our calls communications with all the major Indian ministries. This is a huge step forward, in my view, because we have now figured out the processes and mechanisms to be able to make sure that people are able to submit tech proposals and be able to win the appropriate resources from both the Indian folks from the Indian side and US folks from the US side”.

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Growth in Other Sectors:

Both the nations are focusing on climate-smart agriculture practices to enhance productivity and risk protection. PM Modi also announced a USD 7.5 million grant to cancer testing, screening, and diagnostics in the Indo-Pacific region during the Quad Leaders' Cancer Moonshot event.

At the diaspora event, PM Modi announced: “The partnership between America and India is growing stronger. Our partnership is aimed at global good, and we are increasing cooperation in every sector”.