India's PM, Modi Engages with Top US Tech Leaders Amid Semiconductor Drive
India's Prime Minister Narenda Modi urges US tech companies to consider India for manufacturing and innovation. India focuses on semiconductor manufacturing to reduce reliance on China and Taiwan. Semiconductor pact with the US aims to establish a fabrication plant for national security and telecommunications.
This meeting came after his participation in the annual Quad Countries Summit, which included the United States, Australia, and Japan. India has actively positioned itself as an appealing option for multinational corporations looking to diversify their supply chains away from China.
In recent years, India has focused on semiconductor manufacturing, hoping to reduce its reliance on major suppliers such as China and Taiwan. Modi met with 15 top CEOs, including Google's Sundar Pichai, Adobe's Shantanu Narayen, IBM's Arvind Krishna, and NVIDIA's Jensen Huang, to discuss the potential for collaboration in India for global markets.
During the event, Modi emphasised the opportunity for companies to co-develop, co-design, and co-produce in India for global benefit. The discussions focused on technology's transformative potential for driving global economic growth and human development, as highlighted by India's foreign ministry.
Modi also addressed a rally of Indian-Americans, referring to them as "brand ambassadors" for India and emphasising the country's role in global development, peace, climate action, innovation, and supply chain dynamics. The Prime Minister also met with US President Joe Biden, which resulted in the signing of several agreements, including a significant semiconductor agreement described as a "watershed arrangement".
The semiconductor agreement seeks to establish a fabrication plant in India to produce chips for national security, next-generation telecommunications, and green energy applications. This collaboration marks India's first project with the US to supply chips to the US armed forces, allied militaries, and the Indian military, ushering in a new era of bilateral cooperation.
The joint statement avoided discussing ongoing tensions between Sikh leaders in the United States and Canada, instead focussing on improving maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. Analysts noted that, while the statement did not explicitly mention China, its language appeared to send a strong message against unilateral actions that could upset the regional status quo.
Modi recently visited the United States for the first time since securing his third term in June. His visit coincided with the upcoming US presidential elections, where the Democrats are seeking re-election against former President Donald Trump of the Republican party. Despite Trump's announcement of a meeting with Modi, Indian diplomats have remained silent on the matter, and the meeting has not taken place yet.
During the visit, the Quad leaders, including the US, Japan, Australia, and India, released a joint communique focusing on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. The statement emphasised opposition to any destabilising or unilateral actions that aim to change the status quo through force or coercion. It advocated for a region where no country dominates or is dominated, allowing all nations to determine their futures freely.
Although the statement did not explicitly mention China, analysts believe that a significant portion of the message was directed towards the country. Observers noted a stronger tone in the language used, particularly regarding provocations in the South China Sea. Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Centre think-tank in Washington, highlighted that the joint statement's language on Chinese activities was more robust than ever before, reflecting the growing concerns of all four Quad states.
Modi urges US tech companies to consider India for manufacturing and innovation.
India focuses on semiconductor manufacturing to reduce reliance on China and Taiwan.
Semiconductor pact with the US aims to establish a fabrication plant for national security and telecommunications.
Source: BBC