Indian PM Modi meets tech CEOs as Washington visit concludes (updated)

Mastek

23/06/2023 18:06

(Adds Biden and Modi remarks to tech CEOs at White House,
paragraphs 3-6)
    By Steve Holland and Simon Lewis
       WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi met with U.S. and Indian technology CEOs in
Washington on Friday, the final day of a state visit marked by
pledges of deeper U.S.-India cooperation on areas including
space, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. 
    President Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for Modi on
Thursday, declaring after about 2 -1/2 hours of talks that their
countries' economic relationship was "booming." Trade has more
than doubled over the past decade.
    Biden and Modi gathered with CEO's including Apple's
 AAPL.O  Tim Cook, Google's  GOOGL.O  Sundar Pichai and
Microsoft's  MSFT.O  Satya Nadella.
    Also present were Sam Altman of OpenAI, NASA astronaut
Sunita Williams, and Indian tech leaders including Anand
Mahindra, chairman of Mahindra Group, and Mukesh Ambani,
chairman of Reliance Industries, the White House said.
    "Our partnership between India and the United States will go
a long way, in my view, to define what the 21st century looks
like," Biden told the group, adding that technological
cooperation would be a big part of that partnership.
    Observing that there were a variety of tech companies
represented at the meeting from startups to well established
firms, Modi said: "Both of them are working together to create a
new world."
        Modi, who has appealed to global companies to "Make in
India," will also address business leaders at the Kennedy Center
for Performing Arts.
    The CEOs of top American companies, including FedEx  FDX.N ,
MasterCard  MA.N  and Adobe  ADBE.O , are expected to be among
the 1,200 participants.
    Modi, who touted "a new chapter" in the countries'
"strategic partnership" at the White House on Thursday, is
seeking to position India, the world's most populous country at
1.4 billion and its fifth-largest economy, as a manufacturing
and diplomatic powerhouse.
    
    RANGE OF BUSINESS AGREEMENTS SIGNED
    Washington wants Delhi to be a strategic counterweight to
China, and deals announced this week included several
investments from U.S.-firms aimed at spurring semiconductor
manufacturing in India and lowering its dependence on China for
electronics.
    The White House also announced plans to cooperate on quantum
computing, scientific research and technological innovation,
alongside plans to manufacture weapons in India.
    Some political analysts question India's willingness to
stand up to Beijing over Taiwan and other issues, however.
Washington has also been frustrated by India's close ties with
Russia while Moscow wages war in Ukraine.
    Addressing the U.S. Congress on Thursday, Modi repeated his
statement that "this is not an era of war" and called for
"dialogue and diplomacy" to end the conflict.
    Modi will continue talks with top U.S. officials during a
lunch at the State Department with Vice President Kamala Harris,
the first Asian American to hold the No. 2 position in the White
House, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
    On Friday evening, Modi will address members of the Indian
diaspora, many of whom have turned out at events during the
visit to enthusiastically fete him, at times chanting "Modi!
Modi! Modi!" despite protests from others.
    Activists have called for the Biden administration to
publicly call out what they describe as a deteriorating human
rights situation in India under Modi, citing allegations of
abuse of Indian dissidents and minorities, especially Muslims.
    Biden said he had a "straightforward" discussion with Modi
about issues including human rights, but U.S. officials
emphasize that it is vital for Washington's national security
and economic prosperity to engage with a rising India.
    Asked during a rare press conference on Thursday what he
would do to improve the rights of minorities including Muslims,
Modi insisted "there is no scope for any discrimination" in his
government.

 (Reporting by Steve Holland and Simon Lewis; additional
reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Don
Durfee and Grant McCool)
 ((simon.lewis@thomsonreuters.com; +1 (202) 680-0055;))