On June 22, 2023, the White House said that India signed the Artemis Accords, which aims to unite like-minded countries on a civilian exploration of outer space. The space agencies of India and the USA, ISRO and NASA, respectively, have agreed to send a joint mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024,
Grounded in the Outer Space Treaty, which was signed in 1967, the Artemis Accords are a set of non-binding principles designed to guide civilian exploration and use in the 21st Century. It is an American-led effort to return humans to the moon by 2025. The broader goal is to expand space exploration to Mars and beyond.
“On Space, we will be able to announce that India is signing the Artemis Records, which advance a common vision for space exploration for the benefit of all humankind,” a senior administration official said hours before the meeting between President Joe Biden and PM Narendra Modi in the Oval Office.
The senior official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that NASA and ISRO are developing a strategic framework for human space flight cooperation this year.
“Concerning semiconductors, US companies are partnering with India to build a semiconductor system that will promote supply chain diversification. An organisation named Micron Technology, with support from the Indian National Semiconductor Mission, announced an investment of more than 800 million USD that, together with financial support from Indian authorities, will amount to 2.75 Billion USD for semiconductor assembly and test facility in India,” he said.
Additionally, the US Applied Materials announced the new semiconductor centre for commercialisation and innovation in India, and Lamb Research, another semiconductor company, will be announcing a training program for 60,000 engineers through semi verse solutions to accelerate Indian Semiconductor workforce developmental goals.
“As far as critical minerals and mineral security, the US will announce its support for India becoming a member of the Mineral Security Partnership, which is led by the US State Department and strengthens critical minerals supply chains and ensures that our markets are well supplied with critical minerals that are needed for climate, economic and strategic technology goals,” he said.
“On advanced computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum information science, India and the United States of America have first established a joint Indo-US Quantum Coordination Mechanism that will facilitate more collaboration between our industry, academia and government,” said the official
Both nations have signed a new implementation arrangement on artificial intelligence, wireless and quantum technologies. Through the Economic Development Consortium, the US is now welcoming Indian quantum universities and entities into its membership.
“On advanced telecommunication, the two countries are working together on 5G and 6G technologies, including Open Radio Access Network System. “Here, we will be announcing partnerships on field trials and rollouts, including scale deployments in both countries with operators and vendors of both markets. This will involve backing from the US International Development Finance for cooperation and promote deployments in India,” the official said.
India’s 5G and 6G and the US Next G Alliance will be leading a new private partnership and cooperation forum as well, the US will also be welcoming Indian participation and replace programmes that remove telecommunications equipment made by untrusted vendors.
“On people-to-people ties and higher education, leveraging the enormous talent, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields in both countries and coming out of a task force chaired by the Association of American Universities and counterparts at the Indian Institute of Technology would like to welcome the launch for the University network with Indo-US global challenges to federal spark, new research partnerships and exchange in the fields of agriculture, healthcare and energy,” the official said.
