JOINT FACT SHEET: India And The United States Continue To Chart An Ambitious Course For The Initiative On Critical And Emerging Technology

Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor (NSA) of the world’s most powerful country, America, visited India today (June 17). Here he had a special meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and officials of the Ministry of External Affairs. The National Security Advisors of both the countries chaired the second meeting of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) in the capital New Delhi.

After the talks between the two countries in New Delhi, a joint factsheet was issued by the White House, the center of American power. It said that since the launch of iCET in January 2023, India and the US have made significant progress towards deepening and expanding strategic cooperation in key technology areas including space, semiconductors, advanced telecommunications, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology and clean energy.

White House joint factsheet released

In the joint factsheet, the White House stated, “We also anchor our work in our shared commitment to ensuring that we design, develop, and deploy technology in a manner consistent with our democratic values and respect for universal human rights, recognizing that the future security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific will depend on the strength of the India-US partnership.”

The second iCET meeting was held today after 2023

The joint statement further said, “During the second iCET meeting today, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and US National Security Advisor Sullivan set the vision for the next chapter of the strategic technology partnership. They underlined their commitment to orient mutual cooperation around breakthrough achievements in priority critical and emerging technology areas by focusing their efforts on joint production, co-development, research (R&D) opportunities to ensure that we remain at the leading edge of innovation and enhance coordination with like-minded countries to provide secure, reliable and cost-competitive technology solutions for the Indian and American people and our partners around the world. In this direction, they welcomed the India-US-South Korea trilateral technology dialogue meeting held in Seoul in March, as well as ongoing cooperation with Australia and Japan through the Quad. ”

Talks on technology-toolkit protection

The joint statement said, “India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and US National Security Advisor Sullivan underscored the critical importance of optimizing the Technology Protection Toolkit and resolved to prevent the leakage of sensitive and dual-use technologies to countries. They also committed to take concrete actions in the coming months to address long-standing barriers to bilateral strategic trade, technology and industrial cooperation, including in the commercial and civil space sector. Note the continued progress made under the Strategic Trade Dialogue, held in Washington, DC, last June, as well as through an iCET Intersessional Review Meeting, organized in Delhi by our Deputy National Security Advisors in December 2023 to support these measures. They also emphasized the need for continued efforts to address long-standing barriers to technology cooperation, particularly under the Strategic Trade Dialogue.”

Promoting private sector investment and partnerships

Apart from the iCET meeting, the National Security Advisors of India and the US held another dialogue, which brought together CEOs and thought leaders from both countries. This came as India and the US are promoting private sector investment and partnerships in strategic technology areas. During today’s meeting, the two National Security Advisors pledged to support greater collaboration across their governments, industry and academia, with a special focus on several areas.

Will cooperate with each other in space program

During the iCET meeting, the two sides also exchanged views on securing a wheeler for the first-ever joint effort between NASA and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) astronauts on the International Space Station, which will prove to be an important milestone in India-US space partnership and space exploration. According to the White House statement, they have completed the strategic framework for space flight to deepen interoperability in space and they are working towards starting advanced training for ISRO astronauts at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

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