Beyond boundaries: Next chapter in US-India technology collaboration

By Rajesh Mehta and Vasudha Badri-Paul

The next chapter in US-India technology collaboration promises great returns with both countries on the road to advance technological innovations on multiple fronts.

Historically, the US-India innovation relationship has been about India being outsourced low end services. With the January 2023 launch of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), there’s a paradigm shift. India has access to high end technology.

The iCET is a landmark in US-India relations between governments, businesses, and academic institutions to realize their shared vision for technology partnership and cooperation on technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, and 5G.

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National Science Foundation (NSF) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) collaborated and are funding 35 joint research initiatives in computer and information science and engineering, cyber physical systems, and secure and trustworthy cyberspace.

Moreover, NSF and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will jointly fund projects in areas such as semiconductors, next generation communication, cyber security, green technologies, and intelligent transportation systems.

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Space and defense technology has also seen major shifts in June 2023, when the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) launched the India US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) to expand the strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between governments, businesses, and academic institutions.

NASA and ISRO created a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation wherein NASA will provide advanced training to Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

The US Department of Defense’s Space Force also has signed its first International Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Indian start-up 114 AI and 3rdiTech; GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture GE F414 jet engines in India for use in the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft; India to procure General Atomics MQ-9B HALE UAVs, wherein MQ-9Bs will be assembled in India to enhance the ISR capabilities of India’s armed forces across domains.

Telecommunications have evolved into a public-private cooperation between vendors and operators that will be led by India’s Bharat 6G Alliance and the US Next G Alliance. Advanced telecommunications will be focused on Open RAN and research and development in 5G/6G technologies.

Quantum Computing has witnessed a $2 million grant program under the US-India Science and Technology Endowment fund is slotted for joint development and commercialization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies. The SN Bose National Centre in Kolkata, India, has joined the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C).

In Artificial Intelligence, there are profound opportunities and significant risks associated with AI. India and US are going to collaborate on trustworthy and responsible AI, including generative AI, advancing AI education and workforce initiatives, and encouraging commercial opportunities. US supports India’s leadership as chair of the Global Partnership on AI.

Google and Facebook have invested more than $10 billion in Reliance Jio to develop AI platforms, while Intel and IBM have partnered with the Indian government to upskill Indian students in AI. Google’s AI Research Center in India is building models to support over 100 Indian languages.

Climate and Clean Energy has seen a jump with the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership. SCEP is a new task force to accelerate progress towards shared climate and clean energy goals.

The US-India New and Emerging Renewable Energy Technologies Action Platform will drive cooperation in green hydrogen, offshore and onshore wind, and emerging technologies to reduce the cost of green/clean hydrogen under India’s ‘National Green Hydrogen Mission’ and the US ‘Hydrogen Energy Earthshot’.

In terms of industry, India’s VSK Energy are to invest up to $1.5 billion to develop a new, vertically integrated solar panel manufacturing operation in the United States; India’s JSW Steel to invest $120 million at Mingo Junction, Ohio, steel plant to serve markets in renewable energy and infrastructure sectors.

Also, negotiations are ongoing between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) for the construction of six nuclear reactors for Kovvada project in Andhra Pradesh, India.

In transportation, US is a founding member of the July 2023 Global Biofuels Alliance for the development of biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuels. Joint US-India collaborations have launched to accelerate the deployment of zero emissions vehicles and promote public and private financing for electric transportation. The US Agency for International Development supports the Indian Railways target to become a “net-zero” carbon emitter by 2030.

US and India have a plan to create a payment security mechanism to facilitate the deployment of 10,000 made-in-India electric buses in India to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health, and diversify the global supply chain.

Silicon Valley venture firms are among the biggest investors in India. In 2022 Bay Area companies invested a record $1.36 billion in India, surpassing $1.35 billion in 2021.

Leading US corporate investors include Cisco, Google, Meta, Twitter, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Apple, and Intel. India’s Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, TCS, and Tech Mahindra also have a major presence in Silicon Valley.

As India has grown from a back office to a tech innovation hub, India’s partnership with US, especially Silicon Valley will move up the value chain.

The US-India partnership is one of the key relationships of this century. A big component of this relationship is the innovation bonhomie and technological partnership that the two countries are building towards. This would spur a positive feedback loop of employment generation and knowledge dissemination in India.

(Rajesh Mehta is an international affairs expert focusing on areas like market entry, innovation, geopolitics and public policy. Vasudha Badri-Paul is a technology marketing & sales executive in Silicon Valley.)