New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval engaged in comprehensive discussions with his American counterpart Jake Sullivan, emphasising the execution of the ambitious India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), bilateral defence relations, and the regional security landscape on Monday. Sullivan's visit to Delhi from June 17 to 18 marks the first trip to India by a senior official of the Biden administration since the Modi government began its third term.
The US National Security Adviser (NSA) is visiting with a prominent delegation including senior US government officials and industry leaders. Reports indicate that the two NSAs also discussed the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which faces delays due to the ongoing situation in West Asia. Sullivan's trip to India occurred three days subsequent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden exchanging brief words during the G7 summit in Italy's Apulia region.
Sullivan meets Jaishanakar in Delhi
The top Biden administration official also met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. "Delighted to welcome US NSA @JakeSullivan46 in New Delhi today morning. A comprehensive discussion on a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues," Jaishankar said on 'X'. "Confident that India-US strategic partnership will continue to advance strongly in our new term," he said.
Sullivan briefed PM Modi on the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation
Later in the evening, Sullivan met Prime Minister Modi, where the latter affirmed India is committed to further strengthening its comprehensive global strategic partnership with the US for global good. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Sullivan briefed PM Modi on the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation, particularly under the iCET such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, telecom, defence, critical minerals, and space, among others.
READ: PM Modi meets US Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Delhi, says 'India is committed to...'
"The prime minister expressed satisfaction at the speed and scale of the growing bilateral partnership in all areas and the convergence of views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," the PMO said in a readout. It said Prime Minister Modi recalled his recent positive interaction with President Biden at the G7 summit in Italy.
How top Indian and US officials cemented iCET framework
Notably, the iCET was launched by PM Modi and President Biden on the sidelines of the Quad summit in Tokyo on May 24, 2022. Subsequently, Doval and Sullivan have made concerted efforts to implement the roadmap under the iCET framework with a focus on cooperation in new and emerging technologies, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, defence innovation, space and advanced telecommunications.
The two sides have included new areas under iCET that included biotechnology, critical minerals and rare earths processing technologies, digital connectivity, digital public infrastructure and advanced materials. The ongoing visit gives the NSAs an opportunity to review the progress and set new priorities and deliverables for iCET, people familiar with Doval-Sullivan talks said. The two NSAs also discussed bilateral issues and reviewed the India-US partnership on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
They were also scheduled to chair the first annual review of iCET with an inter-departmental delegation from both countries.
India-US iCET roundtable
On Tuesday, the two NSAs will address participants at an India-US iCET roundtable with industry CEOs, being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry. Doval and Sullivan have been holding regular consultations on bilateral, regional and global issues. The current visit continues their high-level engagement on the multi-faceted agenda of the India-US global strategic partnership, the people cited above said. The US NSA called off a visit to India for the review of iCET twice this year in view of the US administration's focus on the evolving situation in West Asia arising out of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In the talks, the two sides are learnt to have reviewed the ongoing defence cooperation including an ambitious plan between US defence giant GE Aerospace and India's Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) to produce the advanced F414 jet engines for the Indian Air Force. In August last year, the US Congress approved the agreement between GE Aerospace and HAL to produce the jet engines.
(With inputs from agency)
