Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the United States, which took place at a time when the world is facing critical geopolitical, economic, technological and climate challenges, marked another milestone in the relationship between the world’s two largest democracies.
At a time of a rapid global shift towards multilateral approaches, the visit aimed to put into action the “bold and bold” commitments that Prime Minister Modi and US President Joe Biden had made to build one of the most defining and consistent bilateral relations of this stage century.
A deep commitment
While the highlight of the visit was the Sixth QUAD Leaders’ Summit hosted by President Biden in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, bilateral ties received a huge boost from key announcements in areas such as semiconductors, space, advanced telecommunications, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology and clean energy. These remarkable initiatives demonstrate a deep commitment to realizing the ambitious goals of the US-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership.
QUAD, a strategic alliance of India, the United States, Australia and Japan committed to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, has become a critical force in implementing tangible initiatives in the Pacific, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean Region. The meeting cemented cooperation in various sectors, including maritime security, healthcare, cyber capabilities, climate security, semiconductor supply chains and disaster preparedness. The launch of the QUAD Investors Network, designed to accelerate investment in critical and emerging technologies, coupled with the inaugural meeting of QUAD Trade and Industry Ministers in the coming months, highlights the vital role business has to play within the Quad.
Chipping
Most notably, however, was the establishment of the first Indo-US semiconductor manufacturing unit focused on advanced sensing, communication and power electronics. Hailed as the first ever national security semiconductor manufacturing plant, it will produce chips for military applications, not only strengthening the supply chain ecosystem but also further cementing vital India-US defense ties.
The success and expansion of the US-India Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap through India’s planned delivery of 31 MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, enhancement of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, is another key outcome of the visit of Minister- President Modi. This, along with the establishment of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility and initiatives such as the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) underlines the deepening defense partnership between the two nations, which is essential importance in addressing current and future global security challenges.
The Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), launched in 2023 by both countries, acts as a key platform guiding responsible technology development globally and securing our countries’ technology supply chains. The recent meeting expanded this strategic collaboration through tangible actions, such as the mobilization of millions of dollars in funds to support high-impact R&D partnerships between US and Indian universities and research institutions in semiconductors, next-generation communications systems, biotechnology, sustainability, connected vehicles and green technologies and intelligent transport systems and initiatives around advanced materials, quantum and artificial intelligence.
For clean energy
The recently unveiled US-India Roadmap for Building Safe and Secure Global Clean Energy Supply Chains, with a commitment to unlock over $1 billion in multilateral financing, represents another historic opportunity for both nations to lead the transition to renewable energy, storage energy and zero-emission vehicles, while cooperation under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership to accelerate the development of critical minerals supply chains reflects a concerted effort to operationalize this energy partnership.
Industry in both countries plays a crucial role in the operational implementation of these initiatives. As Indian companies seek access to investment and technology, US companies, which already employ millions of Indians, are keen to tap even further into India’s vast talent pool and the world’s largest market. Prime Minister Modi highlighted the huge potential of technology cooperation during his meeting with some of America’s top CEOs. This mutual growth could revolutionize the global technology landscape while driving shared Indo-US prosperity.
Finally, deepening relations with the United States may be central to Prime Minister Modi’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047. A bipartisan understanding of India’s importance in the world makes the US an important stakeholder and player in the growth story of India. His latest visit not only strengthened the Quartet, but also highlighted the alignment between the two nations, even as he forged new avenues and mechanisms for cooperation among all stakeholders. As India’s largest trading partner, the United States will play an important role in providing the capital, expertise, and market access India needs to climb the global economic ladder.
(Rahul Sharma is Managing Director at USIBC and Aditya Kiran Kaushik is Senior Director, Digital Economy, Media and Entertainment at USIBC.)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
