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The iCET initiative, established in May 2022, emerged as a pivotal platform aimed at elevating bilateral collaboration across six priority sectors: defense, space, quantum, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and telecommunications.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is expected to travel to Delhi the week after next week where he will hold key talks with his Indian counterpart, NSA Ajit Doval. The primary agenda for Sullivan’s visit revolves around the review of the Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) initiative, with a focus on ongoing efforts to bolster strategic technology partnerships and defence industrial cooperation between the United States and India.
Sullivan is likely to be in Delhi around April 18.
The iCET initiative, established in May 2022, emerged as a pivotal platform aimed at elevating bilateral collaboration across six priority sectors: defence, space, quantum, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and telecommunications. Led by the National Security Advisers of both nations, the initiative underscores the shared commitment to harnessing cutting-edge technologies for mutual benefit and global advancement.
The inaugural meeting of the iCET took place in Washington, DC in January of last year. The next round of talks was scheduled for Delhi this year. Sullivan was expected to travel to Delhi in February for the iCET review meet but that could not materialise.
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The visit comes amid a number of ups and downs in ties. Recent developments, including India’s summoning of a US diplomat in Delhi over remarks by the US State Department regarding the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the overhang of the Pannun case, India-US joint military exercises-Tiger Triumph, show both Delhi and Washington engaging with each other to find convergence and reduce divergences.
