PM Modi US Visit: India has marked a major step in its way of global technological leadership with three-day visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States. The slot of the three-day visit saw the highlight in a high-level roundtable meeting with CEOs of major American technology companies at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel. Emergence of the key leadership event that joins leaders from 15 prominence U.S.-based firms as Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang had leadership discussions centered on five themes: Emerging Technology in AI, Emerging Technology in Data, Cybersecurity, Future of Compute, and Emerging Technologies for Internet of Things.
India’s Economic Growth and Technological Potential
The roundtable discussion focused on the rapidly emerging economic growth of India with similar prospects for technology engagement with the U.S., particularly in AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, life sciences, information technology, and semiconductor technologies. The forum was thus organized under the aegis of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Engineering to emphasize the role of frontier technology as an essential component of the future of the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
Deepen the India-U.S. Technological Partnership
The prime minister during his address highlighted that collaboration on critical and emerging technologies is taking center stage, and it finds resonance in the initiative of the Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET), which India and the U.S. are working upon. He urged American firms to reach out and seize the economic transformation unfolding in India and the growing market potential available. The prime minister opened his arms for American firms to explore opportunities for co-development and co-production within the country.
PM Modi reiterated his government’s commitment to placing India in the third-largest economy globally but specially ensured that it becomes the next global hub for semiconductor manufacturing. During Modi’s engagement on the growth of India in electronics and semiconductor technologies, he touched on key areas of growth when India expands its footprints further in the global semiconductor market. The Centre has gone a long way in cultivating the environment towards technological innovation and safeguarding the rights of intellectual property.
AI, Biotechnology, and Semiconductor Growth
A conversation was ventured into the fast-growing Indian biotechnology sector where PM Modi presented his BIO E3 policy to the country. BIO E3 is a policy he seeks to lead the whole world with innovative approaches in life sciences and biotech research by India. PM Modi further leveraged the platform by calling for ethical and inclusive AI development through his “AI for All” initiative. The discussions also went over the important contribution of AI in elevating India’s technological growth.
The CEOs of the roundtable were optimistic about India’s growth as a global leader in technology. They appreciated the innovative policies of India and its vigorous new tech startups and the opportunity to facilitate fruitful collaboration. India’s enormous market and strong digital infrastructure are vibrant indicators of mutual growth and technological advancement, the tech leaders concluded.
Some of the key participants at the roundtable included Chris Viehbacher, CEO of Biogen Inc.; Chris Boerner, CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb; and Enrique Lores, CEO of HP Inc. Their presence marked the growing interest among people to pursue greater relations between India and the U.S. in key sectors of health care and life sciences, and IT.
PM has been focussed on transforming India-Sundar Pichai
Google CEO Sundar Pichai says, “The PM has been focussed on transforming India. It is Digital India vision. He pushed us to continue making in India, designing in India. We are proud to now make our Pixel phones manufactured in India. He is really thinking about how AI can transform India in a way that benefits the people of India. He challenged us to think about applications in healthcare, education, agriculture and he is also thinking about the infrastructure of India – be it data centres, power, energy and investing to make sure that India can transition. And we are proud to be partnering with India”
He added, “We are robustly investing in AI in India and we look forward to doing more. We have set several programs and partnerships…He has always challenged all of us to do more, more for India. Now, he is asking us to do the same with AI. He has a clear vision, both in terms of the opportunity that AI will create but he wants to make sure ultimately AI is there to benefit the people of India and he has a clear vision that it should all be in the service of the people of India. He is challenging us to do more.”
Jensen Huang commends PM Modi
Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO Says “PM Modi is an incredible student. Every time I meet him, I feel like he wants to learn more about the technology and artificial intelligence. India is home to some of the worlds greatest computer scientist. Artificial intelligence is also a new manufacturing industry, that is very important, so I am looking for to partner with India in a very deep way.”
Holtec International CEO Kris Singh on Clean Energy
After the roundtable meeting of prominent CEOs of Tech Companies with PM Narendra Modi, Holtec International CEO Kris Singh says, “PM said to me that he wants to make India energy independent, he wants to rapidly grow clean energy in the country and the meeting was for clean energy. I explained to him that the existing coal plants can be converted into our small modular reactors, the capacity at the plant will be increased by a factor of 3. PM is a very bright man. He understands the issue, understands the challenges and I think that he gets it.”
Celebrating India’s Chess Olympiad 2024 Victory
For India, success at the chess olympiad is the precious victory. Many such wise words sounded in the roundtable discussion and here are a few by the keyparticipants at the roundtable : Besides business-related discussions, the roundtable also witnessed Prime Minister Modi appreciate another pride moment for India’s sporting community. He felicitated the Indian chess team with gold medals in both men’s and women’s categories at the Chess Olympiad 2024. D Gukesh, the Indian chess prodigy, received praise from PM Modi for his stellar leadership as the men’s team won their first-ever gold. Speaking to the Indian diaspora at Nassau Veterans Coliseum in Long Island, PM Modi said, “India won gold in both the men’s and women’s categories at the Chess Olympiad, and this is happening for the first time in nearly 100 years of history. They have made the entire nation proud.”