Modi in US: AI, robotics to quantum computing, PM set to cement tech ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet thought leaders like billionaire Elon Musk and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in New York on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet world's most influential leaders in New York (HT)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the US today, where he is expected to meet the world's most influential leaders in New York. There will be many such leaders at the conference, including Tesla chief Elon Musk, who is known for his entrepreneurial brilliance and astrophysicist, author, and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson, Nobel laureate Paul Romer, essayist, mathematical statistician Nicholas Nassim Taleb, and investor Ray Dalio.

As part of his visit from June 21-24, PM Modi will attend the state dinner hosted by President Biden, as well as address a joint session of the US Congress.

PM Modi is in the US to forge closer strategic tes with the US, ink a some armament deals as well as to encourage businessmen to invest in India.

About Musk, Degrasse Tyson, and other thought leaders

Elon Musk is known for his role in establishing Tesla and SpaceX as successful business entities and now as the owner of Twitter. Modi will likely meet Musk as the country woos Tesla to make electric cars locally. Musk wants considerable reduction in regulatory barriers in India before taking any further steps there.

However, India is not the only one Musk has talking to for the location of Tesla's gigafactory. He has met President of France Emmanuel Macron. And, accoridng to President Yoon Suk Yeol, Musk has said that he considers South Korea a top candidate for investment. Musk has indicted it will all depend on a review of investment conditions, manpower and technology.

Alongside Musk, PM Modi is also set to meet Neil deGrasse Tyson, a well-known American astronomer celebrated for his efforts in popularizing science and ensuring engagement with the wider public.

As part of his visit, PM Modi also wants to meet Nobel Prize winner and world-renowned economist, Paul Romer, in order to gain insights into long-term economic growth and how it is connected to technological innovation.

India-US Tech ties 

Samir Saran, president of New Delhi-based think tank the Observer Research Foundation, while speaking to AFP said, he expected the "two democracies to collaborate in securing global technology infrastructure, set governance standards, and counter techno-authoritarianism" in fields such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and robotics.