During the second day of his three-day visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with a diverse group of tech industry leaders in New York to discuss emerging technologies and the opportunities India presents in this sector. The roundtable included notable figures such as Adobe Chairman and CEO Shantanu Narayen, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su, and Moderna Chairman Noubar Afeyan. In an online post, PM Narendra Modi expressed optimism about India’s technological advancements, stating, “Had a fruitful roundtable with tech CEOs in New York, discussing aspects relating to technology, innovation, and more. I am glad to see immense optimism towards India.”
The discussions took place against the backdrop of broader bilateral meetings between PM Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden, where both leaders emphasized their commitment to building resilient and sustainable semiconductor supply chains. A significant highlight of this partnership is the creation of GlobalFoundries’ Kolkata Power Center in India, which aims to enhance research and development linkages in chip manufacturing.
According to a joint fact sheet released by the White House, the leaders welcomed increased private sector cooperation in emerging technologies. This includes IBM’s recent agreements with the Indian government to integrate its Watsonx platform with India’s Airawat supercomputer, fostering new opportunities in artificial intelligence and advancing semiconductor development, as well as supporting India’s National Quantum Mission.
The discussions also touched upon the progress made since the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the U.S. Commerce Department and India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry in November 2023. This initiative, referred to as the “Innovation Handshake,” aims to enhance the innovation ecosystems of both countries. To date, the two nations have convened two industry roundtables to connect startups, venture capital firms, and government officials, facilitating investments in innovative projects.
On the first day of his visit, PM Narendra Modi participated in the fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by President Biden in Wilmington, Delaware. During the summit, India agreed to host the next Quad Summit in 2025, reinforcing the forum’s commitment to fostering peace, progress, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
AsPM Narendra Modi continues his visit, he is scheduled to address a large gathering of the Indian community in New York, where thousands have converged from various regions. On the final day of his trip, he will speak at the ‘Summit of the Future’ at the United Nations General Assembly, focusing on the theme of “Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow.” A number of global leaders are expected to attend the summit, and PM Narendra Modi will hold bilateral meetings with several heads of state to discuss mutual interests and collaboration.
