Prime Minister Narendra Modi Set to Woo Tech Companies in Silicon Valley

Advertisement
By Reuters | Updated: 28 September 2015 17:33 IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has documented his push to bring U.S. investments and jobs back to India on his Facebook and Twitter pages since landing in the United States this week, posting photos with the likes of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and group shots with Fortune 500 CEOs.

This weekend, his followers can expect a flurry of photos with tech leaders as he visits Silicon Valley and is due to meet with executives from Google Inc, Facebook Inc, Apple Inc and Tesla Motors.

(Also see:  PM Modi in US: Beyond the Hype of Those Big Silicon Valley Announcements)

Much of his agenda, aimed at deepening ties with the U.S. tech sector, will also focus on connecting with Silicon Valley's Indian diaspora.

Advertisement

While PM Modi is likely to be received like a rock star in an area that is home to many of the world's biggest high-tech firms, some groups have protested his arrival and urged tech companies to boycott the visit.

Advertisement

The groups include Sikhs for Justice, which has called on its members to picket Facebook headquarters during a Facebook town hall, and the Alliance for Justice and Accountability.

PM Modi has been criticized for not doing enough to stop 2002 religious riots in the Indian state Gujarat that killed about 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, when he was chief minister of the state. He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Advertisement

PM Modi is the first Indian leader to visit the U.S. West Coast in more than 30 years. His trip follows one by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met with several tech leaders in Seattle earlier this week.

The Indian leader has said he sees the digital economy as crucial to bringing more growth and tech jobs to India.

Advertisement

PM Modi boasts an average 87 percent approval rating in India and he has more than 30 million "likes" on Facebook and 15 million Twitter followers, making him the second-most followed world leader after U.S. President Barack Obama.

On Saturday, he was scheduled to attend a dinner with 350 business leaders to discuss the world economy and its impact on India.

Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai and Shantanu Narayen, the Indian-born CEOs of Microsoft Corp, Google and Adobe Systems Inc, respectively, were among those due to moderate a panel discussion before PM Modi delivers a speech at the dinner.

PM Modi is also expected to meet with Apple CEO Tim Cook and visit Tesla headquarters. On Sunday, he was to visit Facebook and Google headquarters before appearing at an event at the San Jose Convention Center.

© Thomson Reuters 2015

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Google's Pixel Phones Get a Second December Update With These Fixes
  2. OnePlus 15R Review
  3. Hogwarts Legacy Tops 40 Million Copies Sold
  4. Xiaomi 17 Ultra With Leica-Tuned Cameras Confirmed to Launch Soon
  5. OnePlus 15s Visits BIS Certification Website; Could Launch in India Soon
  6. OnePlus 15R With 7,400mAh Battery, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Debuts at This Price
  7. You Can Now Vibe Code AI Mini Apps Within Gemini With This Tool
  8. Nvidia's GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs Are About to Be Scarce
  9. OnePlus Pad Go 2 Launched in India With 10,050mAh Battery, 5G Connectivity
  10. Hackers Threaten to Expose Pornhub's Sensitive User Data
  1. OpenAI Starts Reviewing Third-Party App Submissions for ChatGPT Integration
  2. Google Brings Opal, an AI-Powered Mini App Builder Tool to Gemini
  3. Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G India Launch Teased Soon After Global Debut: Expected Specifications, Features
  4. CES 2026: Samsung to Unveil Bespoke AI Laundry Combo, Jet Bot Steam Ultra Robot Vacuum, and More
  5. Samsung Exynos 2600 Details Leak Ahead of Galaxy S26 Launch; Could Be Equipped With 10-Core CPU, AMD GPU
  6. Vivo Y50e 5G, Vivo Y50s 5G Appear on Google Play Console; Mysterious Vivo Phone Listed on Certification Site
  7. Nvidia to Reportedly Cut GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU Production Amid Global RAM Shortage
  8. Apple Allows Third-Party App Stores, Relaxes Payment Restrictions in Japan to Comply With MSCA Act
  9. Hogwarts Legacy Has Sold 40 Million Copies, Warner Bros. Games Announces
  10. OnePlus 15s Listing on BIS Certification Website Hints at Imminent Launch in India
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.