Strengthening Innovation Alliance In Focus As US NSA Sullivan Travels To India On Final Visit

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) India and the United States are expected to hold discussions on a range of strategic, regional, and bilateral issues, including the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) during US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan's two-day New Delhi visit, beginning Sunday.

Earlier today, the White House confirmed Sullivan's visit "for a capstone meeting" with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval that will span a range of issues across the breadth of India-US partnership -- from space, defence, strategic technology cooperation, all the way also to shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

"This will be Mr. Sullivan's final trip to the Indo-Pacific region as National Security Advisor. He's very excited and looking forward to these conversations at this critical time," said White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby.

"During the visit, Mr. Sullivan will meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other Indian leaders. He will also visit the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he will be able to meet with young Indian entrepreneurs and give a speech outlining the significant steps that the United States and India have taken together to strengthen our innovation alliance under the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, otherwise known as iCET," Kirby told reporters in Washington.

The visit takes place just before US President Joe Biden leaves office on January 20, ahead of Donald Trump being sworn in as the country's 47th president.

Both NSAs have acknowledged that the iCET, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in May 2022, would play a defining role in deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries.

In June 2024, while addressing an iCET roundtable along with Sullivan, NSA Doval had spotlighted that India and the US must remain at the forefront of technology - especially in the areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, bio-tech and other emerging technologies - to protect and defend their value systems.

"iCET has achieved more than what we could imagine,” said Doval, highlighting the progress made across the defence innovation roadmap and startups, while emphasising the importance of the growing semiconductor industry.

Sullivan mentioned three key buckets for technology partnerships -- innovation, production and deployment -- stressing the need for government support for the private sector.

"There exists bipartisan support for Indian industry in the US and building the ecosystem and supply chain manufacturing is the key to production," he told the industry leaders, last year.

"The core of iCET is about the idea of India and US being able to support each other and to encourage greater collaboration in the technology ecosystem, jointly innovate and find solutions to challenges," said Sullivan.

Last week, during his US visit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met several key officials of the outgoing Joe Biden-led administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Sullivan, while reviewing the advancement of India-US partnership over the last four years.

"Good to meet US NSA Jake Sullivan in Washington DC this morning. A wide-ranging discussion on the progress of India-US strategic partnership. Also exchanged views on current regional and global developments," EAM Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.

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