India and the US conducted the first comprehensive mid-term review of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in May 2022.
Jonathan Finer, principal deputy national security advisor (NSA) of the US held consultations with Vikram Misri, deputy NSA (strategic affairs) of India. During the consultations, the two parties reviewed key bilateral issues and exchanged views on regional and global developments. They took stock of the progress made in building technology value chains under the iCET framework.
Further, the deputy NSAs expressed satisfaction with the ongoing collaborations in diverse domains, including semiconductors, quantum, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, defence innovation, space, and advanced telecommunications, through interactions between the respective governments, industry, academia and other stakeholders.
The two parties also reiterated their commitment to elevating the bilateral strategic partnership and agreed to broaden the scope of iCET to include biotechnology, critical minerals and rare earth processing technologies, digital connectivity and digital public infrastructure, and advanced materials.
Additionally, the deputy NSAs also affirmed the importance of easing regulations to facilitate high-tech collaborations and the transfer of technology. Their discussions served to highlight the immense potential to tap synergies between their domestic initiatives and boost the competitiveness of industry in both countries.
