‘India only country on Earth that rivals China with respect to depth of its engineering workforce’: US Under Secy Jacob Helberg

WASHINGTON: In a major endorsement of India’s technological prowess, the United States has called India an “indispensable” partner in the global race for technology dominance.

Speaking at the IX USISPF Leadership Summit 2026, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jacob Helberg declared that India stands alone globally in its capacity to match China’s massive technical talent pool.

The statement highlights a rapidly consolidating tech alliance between Washington and New Delhi, heavily focused on deep-tech collaboration, artificial intelligence (AI), and cross-border developer networks.

Addressing a high-powered audience of policymakers and Fortune 500 tech executives, Helberg emphasised that India’s massive workforce is uniquely positioned to drive the next generation of global software adoption.

#WATCH | Washington DC | At the IX USISPF Leadership Summit 2026, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth Jacob Helberg says, “… India obviously is the only country on earth that fundamentally rivals China with respect to the depth of its engineering workforce and… pic.twitter.com/7aQJeTgoJO

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2026

“India obviously is the only country on earth that fundamentally rivals China with respect to the depth of its engineering workforce and talent pool,” Helberg remarked. “It has a true nascent technology ecosystem and is making some pretty incredible contributions at the application layer, which we think is absolutely essential for technology diffusion”.

Helberg noted that the combination of India’s booming population, vast engineering pool, and rapid economic growth makes it a prime market for creating cutting-edge services. “That is why we want to foster a ‘developer ecosystem’ with India — a shared developer ecosystem — and we recognise that this truly forms the foundation of our multifaceted collaboration with them.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the Washington conclave, Helberg reaffirmed that the overarching takeaway from current bilateral dialogues is India’s absolute commitment to artificial intelligence. He also touched upon unfolding, sensitive high-tech discussions involving leading American AI labs like Anthropic.

“So the big takeaway is India is totally committed to the future. It has one of the world’s deepest engineering workforces in the world. And we are completely in lockstep when it comes to building an AI developer ecosystem that is positive-sum and complementary. And we’re very excited to work with our Indian counterpart on that,” he said.

#WATCH | Washington DC | US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth Jacob Helberg says, “India is totally committed to the future. It has one of the world’s deepest engineering workforces… We are very excited to work with our Indians counterpart on that…”

On… pic.twitter.com/TpJ3vO1jwQ

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2026

While keeping specific details under wraps, Helberg dropped a major hint regarding a new administrative fast-track mechanism. “Those conversations are still unfolding. I’m sure you followed the news over the weekend that the Commerce Department recently rolled out a trusted partner program, and so we’re continuing that process,” he said.

The geopolitical rhetoric matches direct action on the ground. Helberg recently met with India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Secretary, S Krishnan, to map out localised investment infrastructure.

Earlier, in a post on X, Helberg shared an optimistic outlook for deep-tech synergy

Met with IT Secretary S. Krishnan to discuss strengthening technology cooperation and unlocking new opportunities for shared growth between the United States and India in the global AI economy, because American companies are ready to build, invest, and innovate in India. pic.twitter.com/IkYOzf9aCV

— Under Secretary of State Jacob S. Helberg (@UnderSecE) June 29, 2026

“Met with IT Secretary S Krishnan to discuss strengthening technology cooperation and unlocking new opportunities for shared growth between the United States and India in the global AI economy, because American companies are ready to build, invest, and innovate in India,” he said.

This diplomatic momentum follows structural foundations laid down earlier this year during the AI Impact Summit, cementing a shared trajectory where the U.S. and India view each other’s tech sectors not as competitors, but as completely complementary assets. (ANI)