To accelerate innovation in critical emerging technologies, India and the US have forged a tech sector partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent state visit. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, believes this collaboration will turbocharge the tech ecosystems in both countries and benefit them globally.
In an interaction with IANS, the Minister said the tech sector partnership is beginning with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) focused on critical and emerging technologies, including OpenRAN wireless networks, semiconductors, high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum.
US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi celebrated the inauguration of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in January 2023 as a significant milestone in US-India relations. They emphasized the importance of nurturing an open, accessible, and secure technology ecosystem based on trust, confidence, shared values, and democratic institutions.
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Chandrasekhar highlighted the transformative impact of critical emerging technologies on economies and individuals worldwide. He commended PM Modi's visionary "Digital India" initiative, which anticipated the profound influence of technology on people's lives and opportunities for Indian youth.
“The technology and innovation ecosystem has come a long way in the last 9 years and today, there is no space of tech and emerging tech that India and Indian enterprises are not present in. PM Modi’s ‘Digital India’ vision, way back in 2015, was prescient and he foresaw the deep impact of technology on peoples’ lives and opportunities for our youth,” the Minister told IANS.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, acknowledged the far-sightedness of the "Digital India" vision, recognizing that other countries are now following India's lead.
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Over the past nine years, PM Modi's policies have fostered a vibrant ecosystem for internet and direct-to-consumer tech innovation. India has made significant strides in areas such as artificial intelligence, electronics, semiconductors, high-performance computing, and quantum technology.
An MoU on semiconductor supply chain and innovation partnership between the US and India has been hailed as a crucial step in aligning semiconductor incentive programs and promoting commercial opportunities, research, talent, and skill development.
The Minister also emphasized ongoing curriculum changes in higher education to cultivate high-quality talent in these areas where global demand is high. The tech sector partnership between India and the US is set to pave the way for significant advancements in critical technologies, benefiting both nations and the global tech landscape as a whole.
(IANS Interview)
