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Context: The visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States.

Details

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the White House's South Lawn by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
• The visit emphasized a "next generation partnership" between India and the United States.
• The event witnessed the presence of cabinet officials, thousands of diaspora members, and chants of "Modi, Modi" from the attendees.

Concerns and Democratic Values

• Concerns were raised about Prime Minister Modi's past as Chief Minister of Gujarat and democratic backsliding in India.
• Over 70 lawmakers wrote to President Biden, urging him to address democratic norms and human rights during discussions with PM Modi.
• Former President Barack Obama appealed to PM Modi to protect ethnic minorities in India.
• Both leaders stressed the significance of democracy, diversity, equity, and the power of example in their speeches.

Bilateral Deliverables and Agreements

• The visit resulted in a wide range of deliverables spanning defense, critical and emerging technology, health, energy, and mobility.
• General Electric (GE) and Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) signed an MoU for co-production of GE 414 Jet Engines for the indigenous Tejas Mk2 light combat aircraft.
• India's purchase of armed drones and collaboration in defense industrial innovation through the 'INDUS-X' platform were announced.
• Micron Technology, Inc. planned to invest in a new chip assembly and test facility in Gujarat, supported by the Indian government and Gujarat State government.
• Space cooperation was strengthened with India joining a framework for space exploration and agreeing to a mission to the International Space Station in 2024.

Visa Renewal Program and Consulate Openings

• A pilot program for domestic visa renewal for certain petition-based temporary workers was announced.
• The program aimed to streamline visa processes and could potentially expand to cover skilled visas like H1b and L visas.
• Two new U.S. consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad were planned, while India would reopen its consulate in Seattle and announce new consulates elsewhere.

GE Aerospace's MoU and Engine Production

• GE Aerospace signed an MoU with HAL to produce fighter jet engines for the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
• The agreement included the potential joint production of GE Aerospace's F414 engines in India.
• GE's involvement in the LCA program and collaboration on the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program were highlighted.

INDUS-X and Defense Acceleration Ecosystem

• INDUS-X, the India-United States Defence Acceleration Ecosystem, was launched to promote collaboration between Indian and U.S. start-ups and tech companies.
• The event showcased technologies from 15 Indian start-ups and 10 U.S. start-ups in domains like maritime, AI, autonomous systems, and space.
• Collaboration opportunities in deep-tech innovations, particularly in the space and AI domains, were emphasized.

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