India set to make strides in quantum technology, AI with the US: Union Minister

New Delhi, July 11: India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is set to make great strides in quantum technology, artificial intelligence, critical metals and semiconductor sectors with the United States, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, has told a visiting delegation of the US-India Business Council (USIBC).

The delegation led by Edward Knight, Executive Vice Chairman called on the Union Minister and discussed collaboration in different areas, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology. The minister recalled PM Modi’s recent visit to the US and highlighted the joint statement on the deployment of greenfield renewable energy, battery storage and emerging green technology projects in India.

Dr Singh emphasised on the government's vision in AI and Machine learning and expressed optimism over its integration with the AI task force developed by USIBC. “Large Language Models (LLMs) are being worked upon by the Department of Science and Technology which are aligned with the task force,” the minister informed.

India is now a frontline nation in next generation technologies. He also informed the delegation about the ‘Anusandhan NRF' on the similar lines of the National Research Foundation in the US. Highlighting India’s progress in the last decade in science and technology, the minister recalled that the biotech industry has reached $140 billion with more than 4,000 companies.

NISAR a joint mission between NASA and ISRO is also evidence of India’s prowess in the space sector. He also referred to the new space policy and its benefits reaped in recent months. Knight appreciated India’s model of ‘JAM’ (Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and mobile) trinity and direct benefit transfer (DBT), and invited the Minister for the ‘49th India Ideas Summit 2024’.