The United States and India have joined forces to unlock a new realm of collaboration with a series of tech and defense agreements signed during a three-day (June 21-24) state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the U.S.
The two countries have set the stage for a transformative partnership that promises to revolutionize industries and usher the alliance into a new era of innovation and technology. The two countries signed major deals on the purchase of MQ9B Sea Guardians armed drones, and joint production of next-generation fighter jet engines.
President Biden said that the visit demonstrates the unparalleled collaboration between India and the United States. He said that the countries are collaborating on nearly every human endeavor “from designing new ways to diagnose and treat illnesses like cancer and diabetes; to collaborating on human spaceflight including sending an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station in 2024; to accelerating the global clean energy transition and tackling climate crisis we face; to harnessing our shared expertise on critical and emerging technologies like quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to ensuring they are not used as tools of misinformation and oppression.”
Dinner with Tech leaders: Some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names attended the state dinner at the White House hosted by President Joe Biden for his guest, the leader of India. The corporate executives who attended the event included Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft Chief Satya Nadella, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, was absent from the dinner event. However, Tesla is likely to make a significant investment in India as Musk met Modi in New York during the state visit. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that India represents a “huge opportunity.”
At the White House today, @POTUS @JoeBiden and I met top CEOs associated with tech and innovation to explore ways in which technology can fuel India-USA relations. Harnessing tech for societal betterment is a common goal that binds us, promising a brighter future for our people. pic.twitter.com/lpxCtuxmzq
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 23, 2023
Acknowledging the significance of a strategic technology partnership, Prime Minister Modi said that “By increasing our cooperation in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, space, quantum, and telecom, we are creating a strong and futuristic partnership.” Following his meeting with the American CEOs, Modi said that the decision taken by American companies such as Micron, Google, and Applied Materials to invest in India “symbolizes this futuristic partnership.”
Agreements signed by the U.S. and India
Here are the key agreements signed by the two countries during Modi’s state visit in June 2023:
Semiconductors
- Micron Technology will invest over $800 million in a new semiconductor assembly and test facility in India, supported by the India Semiconductor Mission.
- Applied Materials will build a semiconductor center for commercialization and innovation in India to strengthen semiconductor supply chain diversification.
- Lam Research will train 60,000 Indian engineers through its “Semiverse Solution” to accelerate India’s semiconductor education and workforce development goals.
Quantum Computing and AI
- Joint Indo-U.S. quantum coordination mechanism established to increase collaboration across governments, industries and academia in the two countries.
- Indian quantum universities and entities to join the U.S. Quantum Economic Development Consortium.
- Agreement to support joint research on AI, advanced wireless and quantum technologies.
Space
- India has signed NASA’s Artemis Accords, launched in 2020, to advance a common vision for space exploration.
- NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will develop a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation by the end of 2023.
- NASA will provide advanced training to Indian astronauts to launch a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024.
Defense
- U.S. to offer advanced General Atomics MQ-9B SeaGuardian armed drones to India. This will help increase India’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
- Agreement between General Electric and India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics to jointly produce GE F414 engines for second-generation light-combat aircraft.
- India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), a public-private partnership, was launched to advance cooperation between both countries’ defense technology industries.
Energy
- India’s VSK Energy LLC will invest up to $1.5 billion to develop a new, vertically integrated solar panel manufacturing operation in the U.S., including a 2.0 GW module-and-cell manufacturing plant in Colorado.
- India’s JSW Steel USA announced a $120 million investment at its Mingo Junction, Ohio, steel plant to support market demand for offshore wind labs.
- USAID signed an MoU with the Indian Ministry of Railways to work together on Indian Railways’ target to become a “net-zero” carbon emitter by 2030.
- India and the U.S. to collaborate on a first-of-its-kind investment platform to lower the cost of capital and attract international private finance for renewable energy, battery storage, and emerging green technology projects in India.
Internet and Fiber Optics Investments
- India’s Sterlite Technologies has invested $100 million in the construction of an optical fiber cable manufacturing unit near Columbia, South Carolina. This will facilitate $150 million in annual exports of optical fiber from India.
- Collaboration on 5G and 6G technologies, including Open RAN systems, led by India’s Bharat 6G and the U.S. Next G Alliance.
Minerals
India’s Epsilon Carbon Limited will be investing $650 million in a greenfield electric vehicle battery component factory, hiring over 500 employees over five years.
