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India-US Forge AI Alliance in Silicon Valley to Boost Tech Trade

India and the United States convened a high-level roundtable in Silicon Valley to accelerate their technology partnership, with a sharp focus on artificial intelligence. The event, organized by the Indian Consulate and NASSCOM, brought together senior executives, VCs, and academics to discuss moving from strategic intent to execution. Discussions linked AI's economic impact to a newly finalized trade agreement that significantly reduces tariffs, aiming to boost bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Participants emphasized a collaborative "triple helix" model between government, industry, and academia to manage workforce transitions and foster inclusive growth in the AI era.

Key Points: India-US Deepen AI & Tech Cooperation in Silicon Valley

  • AI reshaping global trade & labor
  • Focus on strategic execution
  • New trade deal cuts tariffs
  • Target $500B trade by 2030
  • Triple helix approach urged
3 min read

India-US tech ties get AI push in Silicon Valley

Officials and executives met in Silicon Valley to accelerate India-US tech partnership, focusing on AI, trade, and a $500B bilateral trade target.

"AI represents a structural shift in the global economy. - Media Release"

Washington, Feb 10

India and the United States took steps to deepen cooperation on technology and artificial intelligence at a high-level roundtable in Silicon Valley this past week, as officials and industry leaders focused on moving faster from strategy to execution.

The closed-door event, convened by the Consulate General of India in San Francisco in collaboration with NASSCOM, brought together senior technology executives, venture capitalists, and academic experts from both countries. The session was titled "India-US Technology Partnership: From Strategic Intent to Execution."

Participants discussed how artificial intelligence is reshaping global trade, labor markets, and the Indo-US technology corridor, according to a media release.

Speakers said AI represents a structural shift in the global economy. They stressed the need for closer coordination among government, industry, and academia to ensure growth is inclusive and sustainable, according to a media release.

The NASSCOM delegation was in the San Francisco Bay Area under the NASSCOM US CEO Forum program. It included Rajesh Nambiar, president of NASSCOM; Shivendra Singh, vice president for global trade development; and Mayank Gautam, director for global trade development. Executives from 12 major Indian technology firms also attended, including Infosys, Cognizant, HCL, and Nagarro.

India's Consul General in San Francisco, Dr K. Srikar Reddy, linked the technology discussions to broader geopolitical and economic developments. He referred to the announcement of a finalized India-US trade agreement and India's upcoming role as host of a global AI summit.

Reddy said the trade deal reduces US tariffs on Indian goods from 50 per cent to 18 per cent. India will also eliminate or reduce tariffs on US products. He said the agreement is expected to boost bilateral trade and help reach a target of $500 billion in goods and services trade by 2030. That target was set by leaders of both countries in February 2025.

Nambiar highlighted the growing role of Indian technology companies in global digital transformation. He pointed to their contribution to innovation, economic growth, and job creation in the United States. He also noted the challenges and opportunities created by generative AI for future cooperation between Indian and US firms.

Speakers said India's technology sector is a significant contributor to the US economy. Participants cited estimates that Indian tech companies support hundreds of thousands of jobs and contribute about $103 billion to US gross domestic product.

The discussion was moderated by MR Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora. It focused on the future of Indian IT services and software-as-a-service firms in an AI-driven environment. Participants called for business model changes, workforce reskilling, and a shift toward outcome-based, AI-enabled service delivery.

The roundtable also emphasised a "triple helix" approach involving government, industry, and academia. Participants said future skills planning, workforce transitions, and curriculum updates are critical to keeping pace with rapid technological change.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh N
As someone in the IT sector, the emphasis on reskilling is the most important takeaway. Generative AI is changing everything. Companies and the government need to invest heavily in training programs so our workforce doesn't get left behind.
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Aman W
$500 billion trade target by 2030 sounds ambitious but achievable with this tech push. The tariff reduction is a big deal. My only concern is that we need to ensure our own startups and SMEs benefit from this, not just the large IT firms.
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Sarah B
Interesting to see the "triple helix" approach mentioned. Collaboration between academia, industry, and government is crucial for sustainable AI development. Hope this leads to more joint research projects and student exchanges between our universities.
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Vikram M
Contributing $103 billion to US GDP and supporting thousands of jobs there is a strong point for our industry. It's time the narrative shifted from "outsourcing" to "partnership". This summit is a step in the right direction. Jai Hind!
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Karthik V
While the collaboration is good, I hope we are also building our own sovereign AI capabilities. We shouldn't just be a talent pool or service provider for the West. The upcoming global AI summit in India is a perfect platform to showcase our indigenous innovation.

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