NEW DELHI: Amid standoff between China and the US over chip supply chain, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Friday said India has an opportunity to become a key supplier in the entire electronics supply chain and not just semi-conductors. However, she added that the US is not looking for technology decoupling from China.
Speaking to the media after her meeting with the Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Raimondo further said, “We see India as a trusted technology partner. We want to continue to deepen our technological relationship with India. In fact, we recently launched iCET (initiative on critical and emerging technology) and we hope to work more closely with India, the private sector here around those technologies,” The two countries signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish semi-conductor supply chains and innovation partnership.
“I want to be also clear that United States doesn’t seek to decouple from China, nor do we seek a technological decoupling from China. What we seek to do is ensure that certain technologies where the US is ahead and where China’s explicit strategy is to have these technologies and deploy them in the Chinese military apparatus,” Raimondo stated. “So, this is not about decoupling. What, it is about, though, is being eyes wide open to the fact that China is explicitly trying to get access to American technology for use in its military. We need to protect ourselves, our allies and partners from that happening,” she further added.
Commenting on the MoU in seminconductor space between India and the US, Anurag Awasthi, vice President at the India Electronics and Semi-Conductor Association (IESA), said, “…..This is a notable waypoint with a raging Ukraine conflict in a post pandemic world, which has stretched the global supply chains. This MoU with the established prowess of Indian chemical industry and the current government policy of PLI (Production Linked Incentive) possesses a capacity for a large traction.” The canvas is vast as India and the US embark on the ambitious initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) with six focus areas of development, he said.
Semi-conductor supply chain: India, US sign MoU
India and the US signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish semi-conductor supply chains and innovation partnership. Canvas is vast as India and the US embark on ambitious initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo said.