Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a three-day visit to the US, made a strong pitch to top tech companies to explore India as a destination for manufacturing and innovation. Meeting with 15 influential CEOs from leading tech firms such as Google, Adobe, IBM, and NVIDIA, Modi encouraged them to “co-develop, co-design, and co-produce in India for the world.”
The meeting followed the annual Quad summit, which includes the US, Australia, Japan, and India, as they discussed regional security and technological advancements. Modi’s remarks align with India’s efforts to position itself as a global alternative to China in supply chain diversification, particularly in semiconductors.
India’s Ambitions in Semiconductor Manufacturing
One of the central themes of Modi’s visit was boosting India’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity. India has been focusing on semiconductor production for years, but it still lags behind major players like China and Taiwan. During the visit, the India-US semiconductor pact was signed, aiming to establish a fabrication plant in India that would produce chips for national security, telecommunications, and green energy.
This partnership marks India’s first significant collaboration with the US in semiconductor manufacturing, providing chips to the US military and allied forces. The agreement is seen as crucial to counter China’s dominance in the semiconductor sector, particularly in high-tech warfare and telecommunications.
Quad Summit: Focus on Indo-Pacific Security
Modi’s visit also coincided with the Quad summit, where the leaders discussed maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. Although China was not mentioned directly, the joint statement strongly opposed actions that could destabilize the region. The Quad partners emphasized their commitment to preventing any country from dominating the region through coercion or force.
The summit also introduced new initiatives such as expanded maritime surveillance and projects targeting natural disaster logistics and combating cervical cancer.
Modi’s First US Visit Since Reelection
This visit was Modi’s first to the US after winning his third term in June 2024. It came just before the US presidential elections, where former President Donald Trump had praised Modi, although a formal meeting between the two did not occur.
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