Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a roundtable meeting with 15 prominent CEOs of global tech giants in New York, urging them to consider India as a hub for manufacturing and innovation. The meeting, which included executives from companies like Google, Adobe, IBM, and NVIDIA, highlighted the transformative potential of technology in driving innovations that could significantly impact the global economy and human development.

Key Takeaways from the Meeting

• PM Modi encouraged the tech companies to “co-develop, co-design, and co-produce in India for the world,” emphasizing the opportunities from India’s economic and technological growth.
• He stressed that in his third term, India will make every effort to become the third largest economy in the world and urged the companies to take advantage of India’s growth story for collaboration and innovation.
• Google CEO Sundar Pichai shared that PM Modi has challenged them to continue making and designing in India, highlighting the prime minister’s push for the “Make in India” initiative.

Discussions on Key Technologies

The roundtable discussion covered various aspects of technology, innovation, and the strides made by India in these fields. PM Modi particularly emphasized the importance of technology collaboration and efforts such as the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

Significance of the Meeting

The meeting comes as India actively positions itself as a viable alternative to China, aiming to attract global businesses that wish to diversify their supply chains. It also marks PM Modi’s first trip to the US since securing his third term in June, just weeks ahead of the presidential elections.

Agreements Signed During the Visit

During PM Modi’s meeting with President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Quad summit, the two nations signed several agreements, including the India-US semiconductor pact. This “watershed arrangement” aims to create a fabrication facility for chips vital for national security, advanced telecommunications, and green energy applications.

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