Tech, Defence, Space: "Most Substantive" Outcomes From PM's US Visit

Technology cooperation featured prominently in the discussion between India and the US, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra today said, while highlighting the most substantive outcomes of the ongoing state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Kwatra said one theme which has run through the visit is the "exceptional warmth and hospitality" US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden extended to PM Modi.

"Very clearly, technology, in particular advanced technology, across all domains ranging from defence to space and energy is one of the most important substantive outcomes," he told reporters in a media briefing.

India and US launched public-private Joint Task Forces, one on the development and deployment of Open Radio Access Networks (RAN) -- a new approach to building the mobile networks that are needed to connect smartphones and devices to the internet and other users -- and one on advanced telecoms research and development. India's Bharat 6G and the US Next G Alliance will co-lead this public-private research.  

On Quantum, Advanced Computing, and Artificial Intelligence, India and the United States have also established a Joint Indo-US Quantum Coordination Mechanism to facilitate joint research between the public and private sectors across both our countries.

To support the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), the US-India Commercial Dialogue will launch a new "Innovation Handshake" to connect each country's start-up ecosystems.

Both India and the US have agreed that the latter will start the process to open two new consulates in India -- one in Ahmedabad and one in Bengaluru, Mr Kwatra said. Meanwhile, India will open its consulates in Seattle and two other places, he added.

PM Modi held discussions with US President Joe Biden, focusing on crucial issues such as climate change, trade, and regional security. Several important agreements and partnerships were announced during the visit, including collaborations in technology, healthcare, and defence sectors. The visit serves as a significant milestone in further enhancing the strategic partnership between India and the United States, he said.

"Technology featured in talks, not in a limited way but technology cooperation across the ecosystem. This included technology transfer, services and working together in research among other domains," he added.

To strengthen semiconductor supply chains, Micron Technology, a prominent American chipmaker, with support from the India Semiconductor Mission, will invest more than $800 million toward a new $2.75 billion semiconductor assembly and test facility in India.

"The visit has been extremely rich in form and equally, if not more, rich in substance," he said, describing the trip as "path-breaking." He referred to various deals, including in defence, to highlight the visit's achievements. 

"Technology space also continues into Defence, where the landmark announcement done earlier this morning by GE was the signing of an MoU with the HAL for production of GE 414 aero-engine for India's light combat aircraft," Vinay Mohan Kwatra said in the special briefing.

India will also be joining Artemis Accords, a US-led effort to send humans to the moon again by 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond, White House sources said.

"India joins 26 other countries committed to peaceful, sustainable, and transparent cooperation that will enable exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA will provide advanced training to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) astronauts with the goal of launching a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024," a White House release said.

"There are roughly 20 to 25 areas of technology partnership that have been identified in the joint statement as a direct result of the discussion between the two leaders earlier in the White House," he added.

The US welcomed India as the newest partner of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), established to accelerate the development of diverse and sustainable critical energy minerals supply chains globally through targeted financial and diplomatic support of strategic projects along the value chain. 

Mr Kwatra further said that during the discussions with Joe Biden on various issues concerning both countries, PM Modi stressed upon the need for the international community to recognise that the people who sponsor terrorism, support terrorism, they continue to pose a serious challenge to the safety and security of our societies and have to be very sternly and firmly dealt with.

"PM said that even after the two decades of 9/11 and one decade of 26/11, the problem of terrorism remains a pressing challenge for the global community. Clearly, what he was highlighting was the need for the international community to recognise that the people who sponsor terrorism, support terrorism, they continue to pose a serious challenge to the safety and security of our societies and have to be very sternly and firmly dealt with," Mr Kwatra said.