Washington: The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) between India and the United States (US) is “much more than technology cooperation” and is a platform to “accelerate our strategic convergence and policy alignment”, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has said.
Sullivan made the comments at a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) at the US Chamber of Commerce on Monday, ahead of the first high-level ICET dialogue between him and NSA Ajit Doval on Tuesday in Washington DC. ICET is a product of a political understanding between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden and is shepherded by the national security councils of both countries to advance the tech partnership.
Both NSAs, along with US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo, attended the closed-door interaction with top corporate leaders from firms engaged in semiconductor design and manufacturing, commercial electronics, advanced telecommunications, commercial space, aerospace and defence, and information technology services.
According to a statement issued by USIBC, Sullivan told business leaders that the Indian and the US governments wish to establish a list of firsts – “firsts in removing barriers – on both sides – to enable greater ambition by all of you”. He highlighted how ICET will accelerate the US-India “strategic technology partnership” and advance their “shared democratic values”.
The US NSA also recognised the pivotal role of businesses, educators and investors, and urged attendees “to be ambitious in deepening business and academic ties”. Sullivan expressed a commitment to work with Doval “to remove barriers on both sides”.
Sullivan’s message, according to a person familiar with official US thinking on the matter, was a key signal to the private sector that India is a trusted partner, technology cooperation with India is a part of US strategic objectives, companies, universities and venture funds should deepen ties in tech domains, and governments will play an enabling role in removing regulatory hurdles.
At the event, according to the statement, both Doval and Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, spoke of India’s use of technology for both economic growth and social inclusion and highlighted “India’s remarkable capacity for technology development and absorption”.
They also emphasised India’s “growing role as a trusted supply chain partner and contributor in the global technology value chain”.
While lauding ICET, both officials, the statement underlined the importance of “easing export control measures to facilitate technology access, co-production, and co-development” between India and the US.
From industry, Sanjay Mehrotra of Micron Technology said it was promising to see the US and India prioritise “the necessary discussions and investments that will enable greater semiconductor leadership within and among partner economies”.
Rajan Mittal of Bharti Enterprises spoke of the role of ICET in deliberating upon the deployment of “Open RAN technology for 5G to create trusted sources, trusted networks, and trusted partners”.
On Monday evening, Sandhu also hosted a power-packed reception in Doval’s honour at India House in Washington DC. Among those present included commerce secretary Raimondo, NSA Sullivan, principal deputy NSA Jonathan Finer, deputy NSA Anne Neuberger, deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman, NASA administrator Bill Nelson and National Science Foundation director S Panchanathan.
There was also substantial industry presence, including the CEOs of Micron, Lockheed Martin, Applied Materials, Global Foundries, General Atlantic, General Atomics from the US side and representatives of Tata Sons, Bharti, L&T, Reliance Jio, Adani Defence, Mahindra and Mahindra, Arcelor Mittal and top start-up founders in the tech domain from the Indian side among others.
