Tech Titans & Trillion-Dollar Dreams: Inside Sitharaman’s San Francisco Mission

Image Source: CNBC TV18

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is creating ripples in San Francisco as she embarks on her 11-day US and Peru tour, with an aim to strengthen India's economic and technological collaboration with the United States. Her tour started with colorful interactions with the Indian diaspora and a series of high-profile meetings with Silicon Valley leaders.

Key Highlights:

Sitharaman held talks with top executives of venture capital behemoth a16z, VMware, and Google Cloud, encouraging them to pursue new partnerships in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and sustainability. She pointed to India's fast-paced digitalization and invited US firms to join AI-driven initiatives in education, healthcare, and research.
The minister spoke about India's Rs 1 lakh crore (USD 12 billion) private sector-led Research, Development, and Innovation Scheme and spoke about opportunities in the GIFT-IFSC financial center.
Google Cloud's CEO spoke about India's digital journey and announced plans to run completely on carbon-free energy by 2030, matching India's green aspirations.
Sitharaman also interacted with DataRobot's leadership, who appreciated India's AI mission and government-sponsored innovation initiatives.

She gave a keynote at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, presenting India's vision for "Viksit Bharat 2047" and engaged in a fireside chat on India's development path.

The visit precedes her engagement in the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, and subsequent bilateral interactions with world economic leaders.

Source: Siasat, The Week, Business Standard, Business Today, NewsOnAir