US-India NSAs Set To Meet Tomorrow: What’s On The Agenda?

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term assumption, US-India are set to enhance bilateral engagement with the much-anticipated second meeting of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will meet with India’s NSA Ajit Doval on June 17-18 to review projects initiated since the January 31, 2023 meeting in Washington. Key discussions will include the transfer of technology for GE-414 jet engines intended for India’s Tejas Mark II fighters.

Despite attempts by Western and Chinese media to undermine India-US relations by highlighting issues like the alleged life attempt on proscribed Khalistani terrorist G S Pannun, the recent G-7 interaction between PM Modi and US President Joe Biden reaffirmed the robustness of bilateral ties. Ahead of PM Modi’s G-7 outreach in Apulia on June 13, Western media questioned NSA Sullivan on Biden’s stance regarding Pannun, reflecting misplaced concerns over bilateral relations hingeing on this issue.

Emphasizing mutual interest in strengthening ties amidst the Indo-Pacific’s geopolitical dynamics, discussions between India and the US also encompass critical defense deals. Currently, a US team is negotiating the sale of 31 MQ-9B armed Predator drones to India, while French counterparts discuss the acquisition of 26 Rafale-Maritime fighters for INS Vikrant. NSA Ajit Doval is scheduled to visit Paris on June 20-21 for further military cooperation talks.

The upcoming iCET meeting will focus on drafting a new Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap to accelerate technological collaboration. Key agenda items include joint development of jet engines, loitering ammunition, and initiatives to bolster India’s semiconductor supply chain through joint ventures. Additionally, discussions will explore opportunities in space cooperation, quantum computing, and next-generation telecommunications.

This strategic engagement underscores US-India shared commitment to advancing technological cooperation amidst evolving global challenges and geopolitical shifts in the Indo-Pacific region.