PM Modi on Thursday began his engagements in the US with meetings with the CEOs of five multinational companies, including that of Adobe, Shantanu Narayen

On the first day of his four-day visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held meetings with the CEOs of five multinational companies including software giant Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen. The discussion between PM Modi and Shantanu Narayen revolved around leveraging technology to provide smart education to youngsters and enhance research. They also discussed the vibrant start-up sector in India, powered by the Indian youth.

In the meeting held on Thursday, Adobe Chairman Shantanu Narayen appreciated India’s efforts in countering COVID and lauded the rapid vaccination campaign. He also expressed his interest in contributing to India’s 75th anniversary of Independence and talked about his desire to bring video and animation for access to every child in India.

PM Modi remarked that bringing smart education to every child is important and added that in the COVID era, the ground for digital education has been laid and that we should move forward now. During the meeting, both PM Modi and Shantanu Narayen emphasised on creating centres of excellence for AI in India.

‘India is a big area of investment for us’

Speaking to reporters after the meeting with PM Modi, Shantanu Narayen pointed out that it is always a ”pleasure” meeting the Prime Minister and hearing from him his vision to expand India. He underlined that their discussion spread across topics like Artificial Intelligence, start-ups, media, and more, and reminiscing old times said, “We started in India before it was fashionable to have an Indian facility.”

Stating that right from the beginning the company had made it clear that they want the best in the field of fundamental innovation, he added that things worked out in India and that they now have multiple centres in the country including that in Noida, Bangalore, Hyderabad in addition to the various sales offices all across the country. Opining that the people of India are the biggest asset, and access to capital, the Adobe Chairman added “What inspires me the most about them in case of start-ups is that they are actually dreaming of spreading across the world and do not want to stay confined to India. As an Indian American what can be more inspiring or matter of pride than to see what the PM is doing to really encourage start-ups.”

In his final statements to the media, the Adobe Chairman said, “India is a big area of investment for us. We intend to continue to invest in India.”

Apart from Abode’s chairman Shantanu Narayen, PM Modi also held meetings with Cristiano E Amon from Qualcomm, Mark Widmar from First Solar, Stephen A Schwarzman from Blackstone and Vivek Lall from General Atomics. The meeting assumes significance given that the Government of India is pushing the Make in India initiative across the world and inviting countries to invest in India.

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