US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval unveiled a roadmap for Indo-US collaboration in seven specific high-technology areas including semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and defence.
Sullivan, who is in India for a two-day visit, also called upon Indian PM Narendra Modi and discussed issues of bilateral cooperation.
We're trying to remove barriers to collaboration on both the sides. The question that we're asking is what are those things that are standing in the way of our ability to maximize the full potential of our cooperation.~ Honorable @JakeSullivan46, Assistant to the President for… pic.twitter.com/NGmf66Cozm
— Confederation of Indian Industry (@FollowCII) June 13, 2023
Overview
Sullivan met Doval and discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest. Subsequently, Sullivan attended the second Track 1.5 dialogue on the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry with his Indian counterpart.
An official statement following the meeting stated, “[Sullivan and Doval] expressed satisfaction at the progress made under iCET and encouraged stakeholders on both sides to strive for technology value chain partnerships that would lead to co-development and co-production of high technology products and services in both countries.”
In his address, Doval said that when the idea of the iCET was first mooted, he was sceptical, but has now grown confident about it. “It is not a government-to-government arrangement of having some high vision. It is a collaborative initiative of industry, academia, research bodies, think tanks, all making a common endeavour,” Doval commented. He further remarked that iCET would give an orbital jump to the strategic relationships between India and US.
The Indian NSA said that India and the US had signed an MoU on semiconductors and held exchanges on AI cooperation. Furthermore, Doval highlighted the establishment of a trade dialogue, which will serve as a platform to address regulatory barriers and issues relating to export control between the two countries.
In his address at the meet, Sullivan highlighted the progress of the iCET in the last six months. He said that the Indian PM’s visit to Washington next week would focus on removing obstacles in defence trade and high-tech trade in investment in both countries.
Sullivan said, “We are taking steps on significant R&D schemes on 5G and 6G cooperation, on defence cooperation, and specifically on removing barriers to strategic trade.”
“The US and India are poised to lead the clean energy transformation, to shore up and diversify global semiconductor supply chains and other critical goods to lead the revolutions in artificial intelligence and advanced computing and biotechnology,” the US NSA remarked.
Glad to receive US National Security Advisor @JakeSullivan46. Reviewed progress under India-US Initiative on Critical & Emerging Technologies (iCET) and other issues of bilateral cooperation. Look forward to meeting @POTUS @JoeBiden during my upcoming State Visit to the US. pic.twitter.com/jqG77WgMIE
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 13, 2023
Sullivan Meets Modi
The US NSA met PM Modi and briefed him on the progress of various aspects of bilateral cooperation. “[Sullivan] conveyed that US President Biden looked forward to welcoming [Modi] on the State Visit,” a press release related to the meeting stated.
Modi expressed satisfaction at the growing and deepening Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between India and the US. He also showed enthusiasm for his upcoming state visit to the White House, and hoped to engage with US President Joe Biden on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The Indian PM’s scheduled state visit to the White House next week is being seen as a significant development in the relationship of the two countries and has been preceded by several high-level state visits from the US.
Sullivan will meet Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on the second day of his visit today.