WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with military and strategic experts from several leading US-based think tanks during his state visit to the US and discussed geopolitics, the global economic situation and terrorism.
Max Abrahms, who has researched and published extensively on military affairs and teaches at Northwestern University, was one of these strategic experts. Abrahms expressed his admiration for the approachability and openness of Modi during the interaction on Wednesday.
The experts attending the meeting included Daniel Russel, Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, New York; Elbridge Colby, Co-founder of ‘The Marathon Initiative’, based in Washington DC, Michael Froman, President-designate and Distinguished Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), New York; Guru Sowle, Founder-member, Director (Indo-US Affairs), Indus International Research Foundation, Texas and Jeff M Smith, Director, Asian Studies Centre, The Heritage Foundation, Washington DC.
Modi invited them to deepen their presence in India as it embarks on a set of strategic transformations during the Amritkaal. The term Amritkaal or period of immortality refers or the quarter century between 2022 and 2047, which marks the generation between the 75th and 100th year of India’s independence. The Prime Minister shared with them his vision for Amritkaal.
Abrahms came away from the Modi meeting truly impressed. There was no limitation on what could be said. Prime Minister Modi reportedly allowed everyone to tell him or ask him anything, listening carefully and responding seriously to everyone. Abrahms later tweeted that the Prime Minister sat among them with great humility.
“Met a group of people associated with key think tanks. We talked about different aspects of policymaking and emerging global trends. Emphasised the positive changes in India and how they are being powered by our youth,” PM Modi later tweeted, describing the meeting.
Elaborating on his vision, Prime Minister Modi during the second day of his state visit to the United States, projected India as the ‘world’s biggest youth factory’ and a ‘pipeline of talent.’ He was addressing the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia. He observed that the India-US partnership would in future carry on as the driving engine for ‘sustainable and inclusive global growth.’ To maintain growth momentum, India and the US need a pipeline of talent.
On one hand, the US has top-class educational institutions and advanced technologies. On the other hand, India has the world’s biggest youth factory.
While the USA has the most prestigious educational institutions and advanced technologies, India has a limitless supply of talented young men and women who aspire for the best. Prime Minister Modi believed the complementary nature of their respective assets made the India-US partnership an organic one, confident that together India and the US were destined to lead the world’s journey toward inclusive and sustainable growth.
Silicon Valley, or the part of San Francisco which is populated by the most successful technology companies in the world and among the wealthiest geographical hotspots in the world with $128,308 per capita income, is often seen to be powered largely by Indian talent. After all, Indian-origin executives lead some of the world’s biggest technology companies.
According to Boston University research, over 1,000 people of Indian origin have set up numerous Silicon Valley companies, with a total valuation of more than $40 billion. 40% of all start-up companies hire Indian Americans on their staff,” the report observed.
According to Open Doors Report 2022, the number of Indian students choosing to study in the United States in the last decade has more than doubled. India’s share in the total number of international students in the US rose from 11.8 per cent to 21 per cent during this period. In absolute numbers, about 200,000 Indian students were enlisted for higher education in the US in 2021-22. The number of Indian students pursuing higher education in the US in 2012-13 was 96,654. The number of these students in 2020-21 was 167,582, which marked an annual increase of 19 per cent.
The US First Lady Ms. Jill Biden, who addressed the meeting along with PM Modi, too described education as a cornerstone of the India-US bond. She said that both India and the United States hoped to keep the mutual educational ties building and strengthening. Ms Biden was happy that the Indian and the US universities were regularly partnering together, leading research, and creating apprenticeships and internships.
While interaction with academic institutions and intellectuals formed a crucial part of Prime Minister Modi’s seventh US visit since he took over as the Prime Minister of India nine years ago, the deepening of the defence partnership between the two largest democracies in the world constituted one of the major milestones. This was marked by the agreements on the joint production of GE-F414 fighter jet engines and the sale of armed MQ-9B Predator drones. The USA has never before made a military hardware deal of this magnitude with a non-military ally.
The acquisition of 31 MQ9B predator drones, which cost about $ 3.5 billion, is likely to strengthen its capacity for long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The long-range ISR capabilities will come in particularly handy for India’s strike missions in the Indian Ocean region and along the land borders with China and Pakistan.
The co-production of GE-F414 INS6 turbo-fan engines in India will be particularly useful for the maintenance and advancement of Tejas Mark 2 fighter aircraft. The current lot of these aircraft has GE-F414 INS6 engines fitted in but without any technology transfer agreement. The current joint production agreement is likely to pave the way for an entirely new sector in the economy involving the joint production of military-grade hardware in India by Indian and US companies.
The ongoing state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the USA has captivated scholars and intellectuals, showcasing his charisma, accessibility, and receptiveness to strategic experts. The discussions encompassed pivotal subjects, including geopolitics, the global economy, and terrorism, accentuating the positive transformations propelled by India’s youth. PM Modi’s vision for the Amritkaal, spanning from 2022 to 2047, positions India as the world’s largest hub of young talent, seamlessly complementing the USA’s renowned educational institutions and cutting-edge technologies.
This organic partnership between India and the US stands poised to spearhead the path towards an inclusive and sustainable global growth trajectory.
Moreover, the deepening defence collaboration between these two nations, exemplified by the agreements on the joint production and sale of military equipment, signifies a significant milestone in their alliance. Through the acquisition of MQ-9B Predator drones and the co-production of GE-F414 engines, India bolsters its long-range intelligence capabilities and fortifies its position in the Indian Ocean region as well as along its borders, particularly with China and Pakistan.
This collaboration paves the way for an emergent sector in the Indian economy, fostering joint production of military-grade hardware by Indian and US enterprises. Prime Minister Modi’s relentless efforts in strengthening India’s global presence and reinforcing its partnership with the United States continue to unfold through these remarkable endeavours.
The author, Dr Maheep, is a leading expert of India’s foreign affairs. He is the Principal Investigator of a national project on India’s Soft Power Diplomacy.(ANI)