New York: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in a roundtable discussion with top executives from major US technology companies during his recent visit to the US, urging them to seize the opportunities presented by India's economic rise. Modi expressed his confidence that India is set to become the third-largest economy during his third term (2024-2029) and stressed the need for collaboration to tap into the country's growth story.

In his remarks, Modi emphasised India’s efforts to advance in sectors such as electronics, information technology, and semiconductors. He encouraged the CEOs to partner with India in developing, designing, and producing solutions for the world. He reassured the business leaders of India’s strong commitment to intellectual property rights and technological innovation, while reiterating plans to position India as a key player in semiconductor manufacturing.

The meeting was organised by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Engineering and featured executives from 15 major US firms working in areas like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and semiconductors. The gathering included prominent figures such as Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet, and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang.

Modi also discussed initiatives like the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET), which is a major part of the India-US partnership. He spoke about India’s biotechnology policy, BIO E3, aimed at strengthening the country's biotechnology sector, and emphasised the responsible use of AI for everyone.

Other participants at the meeting included executives from AMD, HP, IBM, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, LAM Research, GlobalFoundries, and Kyndryl. After the discussions, Modi said, “Had a fruitful roundtable with tech CEOs in New York, discussing aspects relating to technology, innovation, and more. Also highlighted the strides made by India in this field. I am glad to see immense optimism towards India.”

The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the roundtable reaffirmed India's expanding role in global technology and its growing importance as a destination for collaboration with international businesses. /BI