Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just concluded his maiden state visit to the United States of America (US) and his sixth as India’s head of government and one of the significant outcome of the same is the agreement on enhanced cooperation on technology on many fronts. These include artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, semiconductors, high performance computing (HPC), cyber security, next gen telecom, space, advance materials and bio-tech apart from defence. Both the nations have built up a larger strategic comfort over the last two decades around technology sharing ever since the signing of the Next Step in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) in July 2005 and the declaration of India as a ‘Major Defense Partner’ (MDP) by the US in 2016.
The key steps towards shaping the contours of the tech cooperation into deliverables began on 31 January this year when the national security advisers of India and US met in Washington DC to operationalize the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) announced by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden in May 2022 and then have a follow up meeting in New Delhi on 13 June involving all stakeholders from government, industry and academia to identify achievables and seal the deliverables. Clearly the meeting in White House on 22 June set these areas in perspective for the road ahead when it was mentioned by both the leaders that ‘technology will play the defining role in deepening our partnership’.
Semiconductor Industry
Semi conductor sector is a crucial area, and both countries have started well by signing the MoU on Semiconductor Supply Chain and Innovation Partnership so that India’s late start in the sector can be leap frogged and cover many of the low-hanging fruits as well the gaps in the global supply chain regime. Micron Technology’s announcement to invest up to US$825 million to build a new semiconductor assembly and test facility in India with support from the Indian government, is an important step as this will motivate many other companies who are exploring areas outside of China to invest in India. What is crucial is to explore further a better coordinated approach so that capacity building for fabrication plants and its ancillary industry happens in India and give further fillip to the electronics manufacturing ecosystem which has taken off very well in the last five years.
High Performing Computing
At the same time it is pertinent to note that President Biden reiterated his administration’s commitment to work with US Congress to lower barriers to US exports to India of HPC technology and source code. For decades India has struggled to get support from the US in this sector and France has helped India’s HPC sector to come up and thus help in many critical national projects like weather predictions and scientific research in health areas. It is a good step for the US to support India’s Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) joining the U.S. Accelerated Data Analytics and Computing (ADAC) Institute and taking research in a more coordinated fashion addressing specific areas being pursued in India.
Prime Minister Modi has successfully got the US to participate and share a lot of technology in sectors which they used to deny in the past
Today while the world is looking at quantum computing in a significant way to be able to provide the next generation of security and trust, a start up in India has already developed the technology to generate the quantum random number as well as quantum key distribution. The establishment of a joint Indo-U.S. Quantum Coordination Mechanism to facilitate collaboration is a very important step. India’s participation in the Quantum Entanglement Exchange and in the Quantum Economic Development Consortium gives the right impetus for the sector to grow.
Artificial Intelligence
One of technology’s defining moment in today’s context is AI and as Prime Minister Modi has said AI also stands for ‘America India’ and so work in this area has to be done more closely. Much is changing in terms of performance using AI in fields of manufacturing, communications, education and health delivery.
As the clamour for regulations for AI have been emanating from many stakeholders across the globe, both the leaders have committed to develop joint and international collaboration on trustworthy and responsible AI, including generative AI, to advance AI education and workforce initiatives, promote commercial opportunities, and mitigate against discrimination and bias. India’s current leadership as Chair of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) is a great opportunity to take a leadership role. Two weeks back, Sam Altman the CEO of OpenAI whose launch of ChatGPT in November last year, had also mentioned about India taking a lead role in the responsible AI global regulatory regime.
While AI regulations might be more popularly sought now, cyber regulations are also crucial but difficult to arrive at. India and US have to take a key role here. European Union and many nations are also keen for such a regime. A comprehensive cyber regulatory regime will help address issues of cooperation on tacking cyber crimes, terrorists usage and radicalization using the medium as also foster cooperation in setting technical standards and forensic and investigations.
Research Collaboration
The announcement of the 35 innovative joint research collaborations in emerging technologies funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST) is a very important step as this will look at research projects in computer and information science and engineering, cyber physical systems, and secure and trustworthy cyberspace. Furthermore, NSF and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will bring fresh funding for joint projects in applied research areas such as semiconductors, next generation communication, cyber security, sustainability and green technologies and intelligent transportation systems. All these efforts also includes the scientists community in both sides working in crucial areas of technology into the tech ecosystem.
Space Exploration
On the space front also significant steps have been taken and India’s signing of the Artemis Accords, which advance a common vision of space exploration for the benefit of all humankind is a great step. The decision of NASA and ISRO to develop a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation by the end of 2023 will take the space related work in India to a newer level. India’s space ambitions got a further boost with the announcement that NASA will provide advanced training to Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with a goal of mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024.
Human Resource
With the above, there is a lot on the plate to be undertaken in the next few years. However apart from technology cooperation or the larger defence and strategic cooperation, India and the US have come closer in many other areas that connect institutions and individuals from different parts of both the countries. Indians today account for most of the H1B visas for technology related workers. Indian students form the second largest pool of foreign students in US universities. All this add to the comfort that define strategic cooperation. Prime Minister Modi has once again demonstrated how he has a wider view of technology for India’s progress and has successfully got the US to participate and share a lot of the technology in areas which they used to deny in the past.
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