The United States and India are deepening their partnership in the technology sector, with a focus on semiconductors, critical minerals, advanced telecommunications, space exploration, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence (AI).
In the semiconductor space, Micron Technology, Inc. is investing more than $800 million in a new $2.75 billion semiconductor assembly and test facility in India.
Applauding this announcement, Sanjay Gupta, Chairperson of India Electronics and Semiconductor Association, said: “This momentous decision marks a significant milestone for the Indian semiconductor industry and validates the country’s dedication to becoming a global leader in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.”
“This approval also showcases the potential of India’s homegrown talent and the capability to contribute to the global semiconductor supply chain. We believe that this landmark project will not only strengthen India’s position as a hub for semiconductor manufacturing but also provide a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer,” he added.
Meanwhile, Applied Materials has announced that it will build a Semiconductor Centre for Commercialization and Innovation in India, and Lam Research will be training 60,000 Indian engineers through its “Semiverse Solution” to accelerate India’s semiconductor education and workforce development goals.
Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials, said: “The company is excited to build upon our 20 years of success in India by creating a facility where the country’s top engineers, suppliers and researchers can work side-by-side to develop new innovations.”
“We envision Applied’s strong base of engineering talent collaborating more deeply with domestic and global companies operating in India to strengthen the foundational equipment supply chain serving the global semiconductor manufacturing industry,” he added.
The two countries have decided to work together to strengthen their critical minerals supply chains, while India has joined the Minerals Security Partnership. Meanwhile, it was said that India’s Epsilon Carbon Limited will be investing $650 million in a greenfield electric vehicle battery component factory in the US.
In the area of advanced telecommunications, India and the US have launched public-private Joint Task Forces on the development and deployment of Open RAN systems and advanced telecoms research and development. They are also working together to launch Open RAN deployments in both countries.
In space exploration, India has signed the Artemis Accords and is working with NASA to send astronauts to the International Space Station. The two countries are also collaborating on a Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission.
In the field of quantum computing, India and the US have established a Joint Indo-US Quantum Coordination Mechanism and signed an implanting arrangement to further support joint research. Google is also building models to support over 100 Indian languages through its AI Research Center in Bengaluru.
The two countries are also collaborating on cutting-edge research in other areas, such as nuclear physics and artificial intelligence. The US National Science Foundation has announced 35 joint research collaborations with the Indian Department of Science and Technology, and India’s Department of Atomic Energy is making a $140 million in-kind contribution to the US Department of Energy’s Fermi National Laboratory.
To support the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), the US-India Commercial Dialogue will launch a new “Innovation Handshake” to connect each country’s start-up ecosystems. This program will address regulatory hurdles to cooperation, promote job growth in emerging technologies, and highlight opportunities for hi-tech upskilling.
Additionally, Sterlite Technologies Limited of India has committed $100 million to the development of an optical fibre cable production complex near Columbia, South Carolina, which will enable India to export $150 million in optical fibre annually.
The deepening technology partnership between the United States and India is a sign of the strong and growing relationship between the two countries. This partnership is essential for both countries to compete in the global economy and to address the challenges of the 21st century.
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