India has been described as a “technological powerhouse” by US President Donald Trump’s top science advisor, who said the country will play a crucial role in advancing the White House’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy.
Michael Kratsios, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, made the remarks in an interview with Fox News after returning from the India AI Impact Summit.
India’s Engineering Strength and Growing AI Ecosystem Praised
Kratsios highlighted India’s strong domestic talent base and engineering capabilities.
“India is a technological powerhouse,” he said, noting that the country produces a large number of engineers every year and is rapidly developing innovative AI products and applications.
He emphasized that India’s expanding AI ecosystem makes it a key partner in shaping global AI development and adoption.
Growing AI Divide Between Developed and Developing Nations
The White House advisor also warned about the widening gap in AI adoption between developed and developing countries. According to him, the world can broadly be divided into two categories, each requiring different strategies.
He cautioned that developing nations risk falling behind if they fail to prioritize AI integration in critical sectors such as:
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Healthcare
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Education
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Energy infrastructure
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Agriculture
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Citizen-focused government services
American AI Exports Program to Support Emerging Economies
To bridge this gap, the White House is promoting the “American AI Exports Program.” Kratsios explained that the initiative offers better technology access, financial assistance, and implementation support to developing nations.
He clarified that the strategy is not aimed at countering any single rival country. Instead, it focuses on providing partner nations access to what he described as the world’s best AI technologies developed in the United States.
Kratsios also introduced the concept of “real AI sovereignty,” which he said means enabling countries to use advanced AI technologies for the benefit of their citizens while determining their own technological direction amid global shifts.
Need for Global AI Standards and Infrastructure
Speaking about the next phase of AI, he said AI “agents” will play a critical role in the future. To ensure safe and effective collaboration between such systems, common global standards will be essential.
He noted that the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has initiated efforts to develop frameworks to ensure secure and interoperable AI systems.
Kratsios acknowledged that financial resources remain a major challenge, especially for emerging economies. Building AI infrastructure requires heavy investment in:
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Data centers
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Semiconductors
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Power generation capacity
He said Washington is mobilizing support through agencies such as the US International Development Finance Corporation and the Export-Import Bank. He also announced the launch of a US Tech Corps, modeled on Peace Corps volunteers but focused on deploying AI solutions globally.
India-US AI Collaboration Deepening
Kratsios concluded by stating that India has long been a strong partner in how the United States shares technology globally. With major US technology companies already operating data centers and research hubs in India, bilateral cooperation in AI and advanced technology is expected to deepen further.
The remarks underscore India’s growing importance in the global AI landscape and its expanding strategic partnership with the United States in technology and innovation.
