Major takeaways from Modi's maiden state visit to US

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden state visit was marked by several major takeaways to boost cooperation in key areas including defence, space and trade.

Defence 

- Joint production of fighter jet engines in India

In a landmark pact, GE Aerospace inked a MoU with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to jointly produce fighter jet engines for Indian Air Force's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Mk-II -- Tejas.

The agreement includes the potential joint production of GE Aerospace's F414 engines in India, and GE Aerospace continues to work with the US government to receive the necessary export authorisation for this.

The agreement will advance GE Aerospace's earlier commitment to build 99 engines for the IAF as part of the LCA-Mk-II programme.

- Armed drones

India and the US are expected to announce a mega deal on the purchase of General Atomics MQ-9 "Reaper" armed drones by India, a move which would further bolster India's national security and surveillance capabilities not only in the Indian Ocean but also along the frontier with China.

The General Atomics MQ-9 "Reaper" can carry 500 per cent more payload and has nine times the horsepower in comparison to the earlier MQ-1 Predator.

Space

India and the US are collaborating to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station in 2024.

India has also decided to join the Artemis Accords, which brings like-minded countries together on civil space exploration, and NASA and ISRO have agreed to a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2024.

Grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST), the Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century. It is an American-led effort to return humans to the moon by 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond.

Business

- Semiconductor manufacturing

Prime Minister Modi invited American chip maker Micron Technology to boost semiconductor manufacturing in India as the country provides competitive advantages in various parts of the product's supply chain. He also invited Applied Materials to India for development of process technology and advanced packaging capabilities.

Modi also invited General Electric to play a greater role in the aviation and renewable energy sector in India.

Diplomacy

The US will open two new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad while India will establish a mission in Seattle to boost people-to-people relationships.

H-1B visa

The US is set to introduce in-country renewable H-1B visas, a significant decision that would help thousands of Indian professionals staying in America to continue with their jobs without the hassle of travelling overseas for the renewal of their work visas.

The much-sought-after H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.