Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the first in-person Quad summit to be hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington
Amid the ongoing semiconductor chip crisis that had crippled production across several industries, leaders from India, the US, Japan and Australia are likely to sign a pact to form a safe supply chain for semiconductors when they meet for the upcoming Quad summit in Washington, a report by Japanese media Nikkei Asia suggested.
In what could be termed as a signal that the four-way alliance is being formed as a counterstep to China in broadening its scope the Indo-Pacific, the nations are expected to confirm that “resilient, diverse and secure technology supply chains for hardware, software, and services” are vital to their shared national interests, according to the draft of a joint statement obtained by Nikkei.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the first in-person Quad summit to be hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.
The statement also says the use of advanced technologies should be based on the rule of respecting human rights.
The decision to spell out such principles reflects a concern over the growing trend of using advanced technology to protect and buttress authoritarian regimes.
In an apparent reference to China’s alleged tech misappropriation, the draft stresses that “illicit transfer or theft of technology is a common challenge that undermines the very foundation of global technological development and should be addressed.”
Specifically, the Quad looks to “launch a joint initiative to map capacity, identify vulnerabilities and bolster supply chain security for semiconductors and their vital components,” the document says.
The Quad nations will also cooperate on preventing technology leaks that can directly affect national security capabilities.
The Quad will also work toward using “open RAN,” which allows telecom carriers to share communications infrastructure by connecting equipment with different specifications.
The U.S. Senate has already approved by an overwhelming majority the legislation to provide a staggering $190 billion package to beef up the country’s ability to compete with Chinese technology.
Australia and India do not have leading homegrown chipmakers but have the capacity to contribute to the envisioned supply chain, said the report.
India, which has a thriving IT industry but is heavily reliant on China for chips, has called for strengthening supply networks through the Quad alliance.
