T-shirt diplomacy: Biden gifts Modi special T-shirt with PM’s quote: ‘The future is AI - America and India’

American President Joe Biden on Friday gifted a special ‘AI T-shirt’ to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. What made it truly special for the Indo-US ties was the quote that it carried, was taken from PM Modi’s address to the joint session of the US Congress a day earlier in Washington DC. PM Modi, in his address, had hailed the "momentous development" in AI - America and India. 

"A lot has changed in the past seven years, but the commitment to deepen friendship between India and the US remains the same. In the era of AI [Artificial Intelligence], another AI (America-India) has seen even more momentous developments," PM Modi had said.

As soon as PM Modi made this remark in the US Congress, he received a standing ovation from the US lawmakers.

Enhancing the co-operation between US and India in the field of advanced technology and Artificial Intelligence has been a great focus of PM Modi’s trip to the US.

During the course of the day, the prime minister engaged in meetings with the chief executive officers (CEOs) of prominent organisations such as FedEx, MasterCard, and Adobe. The discussions revolved around various technological sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), and focused on topics such as innovation, investment, and manufacturing. 

Subsequently, the prime minister attended an official state luncheon hosted by US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

At the event, President Joe Biden told PM Modi, “Our cooperation matters, not just for our own people but quite frankly to the whole world as our partnership is about more than the next breakthrough or the next deal as big as they may be. It is about tackling climate change, about exploring the universe, about lifting people out of poverty, preventing pandemics and giving our citizens real opportunity.”

Earlier, at the 'Hi-tech Handshake' event held at the White House, President Biden emphasised the significance of technology cooperation in shaping the partnership between the United States and India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address, expressed his belief that the convergence of talent and technology ensures a brighter future.

Furthermore, India's advancements in 5G and 6G technology, along with the US Next G alliance, will lead to the establishment of a new forum for public-private co-operation. Additionally, the United States is welcoming Indian participation in its "rip and replace" programme, which involves the removal of telecommunications equipment provided by untrusted vendors.