Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the White House marked a significant milestone in the India-US relationship, as President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden extended a warm welcome to their Indian counterparts. Accompanied by cabinet officials and a vibrant gathering of Indian diaspora members, the event showcased the significance of the occasion. President Joe Biden has called his country’s partnership with India among the “most consequential in the world”.
Beneath the celebratory atmosphere, concerns surrounding Modi’s past as Chief Minister of Gujarat and the state of democratic norms in India today were palpable in Washington. Over 70 lawmakers had written to President Biden, urging him to raise these issues during discussions with Prime Minister Modi. A few lawmakers even declared their intention to boycott Modi’s address to the U.S. Congress.
Despite these concerns, The US and India announced multiple agreements including defence, technology, microchips, and visa renewal to strengthen the economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries. Some big-ticket deals — like the purchase of MQ9-Reaper drones and an agreement between General Electric (GE) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the co-production of GE 414 jet engines in India are already announced.
Here’s a roundup of deals:
1: Memory chip deal
Micron Technology, a US memory chip firm, Thursday said it would invest up to $825 million in a new chip assembly and test facility in Gujarat. The memory chip company said the total investment in the facility will be $2.75 billion. Of that total, 50% will come from the Indian government and 20% from the Gujarat government. The investment will create up to 5,000 new direct jobs, the company added.
2: Fighter Jets
General Electric Thursday said it has signed an agreement to jointly manufacture F414 engines with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), a state-owned Indian firm, to make engines for the Tejas light-combat aircraft, as part of an effort to improve defense- and technology-sharing.
3: Visas
The US is likely to make it easier for Indians to live and work in the United States. The Biden administration is set to introduce in-country renewable H-1B visas, a significant decision that would help thousands of Indian professionals staying in the country to continue with their jobs without the hassle of traveling overseas for the renewal of their work visas as part of the people-to-people initiative, a senior administration official said. The much-sought-after H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.
4: Drones
Biden and Modi are also likely to discuss a deal for MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones made by General Atomics. India will buy 31 drones made by General Atomics worth slightly over $3 billion, Bloomberg reported citing sources. The deal is expected to be announced during Modi’s visit.
5: Space
India and US announced the signing of the Artemis Accords, a US-led alliance seeking to facilitate international collaboration in planetary exploration and research. In a related development, ISRO will partner with NASA in sending a joint mission to the International Space Station, a permanent laboratory in space, next year. It was not immediately clear whether the joint mission would include an Indian astronaut to the space station.
The US and India relationship is “stronger, closer and more dynamic than any time in history”, Mr Biden said at the completion of the lavish state visit.
