Whenever the US vacates policy space, China wins : ITI Council President Jason Oxman
"This is the challenge of the current Trump administration's approach to trade. We are pushing our allies away from us. You can see it in EU-China and India-China conversations," Oxman said. He counted the latest US tariff policy, among a series of decisions that are not related to tech policy but have an impact on it. Wherever the US has pulled back on a trade deal, China has stepped in with favorable tariff offers, he added.
"But we are consistent in our advocacy. We advocate for India to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, and for the US to do the same," he stressed. ITI represents more than 80 global technology companies including Apple, Amazon, Google, Dell, Ericsson, Microsoft, and Tata Consultancy Services. Commenting on the possibility of India and China increasingly collaborating on Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy on the global stage, Oxman cautioned against India adopting China's approach to adopting AI. "The Chinese AI model is not something we should follow. It's a closed model, controlled by the government. It's a tool for censorship, and oppression," Oxman stressed.On the other hand, America's open, infrastructure-driven approach will keep the US ahead in the global AI race, at least for now, Oxman believes. 'The US model is largely open, with advanced semiconductors, stronger data centers and open-weight models that make innovation more accessible. That gives the US an edge today, but China is moving quickly to catch up,' Oxman said.Arguing that India can leverage its broad base of engineering and Research and Development (R&D) talent to build a globally competitive AI sector, Oxman reiterated the sector's call for unhindered cross-border data movement. 'AI cannot thrive if confined within a single country's borders. Restrictive policies on data will prevent Indian companies from competing globally,' he said.To speed up its progress in the AI ecosystem, India needs to invest aggressively in data centers and an infrastructure, that supports all that AI can do, he said.
Data Centre worries
However, Oxman also raised concerns about the Centre's proposal for an India-specific certification regime for data centers, highlighting challenges in India's ability to implement it. 'Well-intentioned as they may be, unique certification requirements often delay access to new technologies. India does not yet have the testing infrastructure to support such a system at scale. Adopting global standards would help avoid bottlenecks and accelerate deployment,' he argued.On India's semiconductor push, Oxman said the production linked incentive scheme (PLI) remains a step in the right direction, but argued that tariffs on imported components risk undermining its goals. 'If screws, cases and other inputs still largely made in China are taxed, it becomes more expensive to manufacture in India than in China. That defeats the purpose of encouraging production here,' he explained. He further noted that similar challenges exist in the US as well where tariffs on semiconductor inputs make local manufacturing less competitive than in Taiwan.Looking ahead, he believes India can emerge as a major player in both the AI and semiconductor ecosystems if it incorporates its talent advantage with the right policy framework. 'This is India's opportunity to lead in the technologies that will define the next generation of growth,' Oxman said. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. How an auto giant trapped global investors in an INR1,000 crore heist
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