US and India Collaborate on Security and Technology

US and India Collaborate on Security and Technology

US and India Collaborate on Security and Technology

The US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, Jon Finer, recently acknowledged India’s initiative to form a Committee of Enquiry. This committee will investigate a foiled plot to assassinate a US-based Sikh Separatist Movement leader and a New York citizen. This development followed the US Justice Department’s indictment against an Indian national for his alleged role in the plot, implicating an unnamed Indian government employee as the recruiter for the assassination attempt.

India’s Response to US Concerns

India has constituted a high-level enquiry committee to address the concerns raised by the United States. The Ministry of External Affairs has emphasized India’s seriousness in handling such inputs, particularly those involving connections between organized crime, gun runners, terrorists, and extremists. The committee is tasked with examining all relevant aspects and will take necessary actions based on its findings.

High-Level Meetings and Strategic Discussions

Jon Finer led a US delegation to New Delhi on December 4, engaging in discussions with Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri. The meetings included an intersessional review of the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), highlighting the growing strategic security and technology cooperation between the two nations.

iCET and Indo-Pacific Policy Alignment

Launched in May 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, iCET aims to foster cooperation in emerging technologies. The initiative, co-led by the National Security Councils of both countries, covers various domains including biotechnology, critical minerals, digital infrastructure, and advanced materials. Finer also held meetings with key Indian officials like External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, focusing on enhancing Indo-Pacific coordination and policy alignment.

The discussions also encompassed issues in the Middle East, including recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the necessity to protect commercial navigation freedom. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to a vision of an elevated bilateral strategic partnership, with plans to expand the scope of iCET to include various high-tech sectors.

Strengthening Tech Collaboration and Industry Competitiveness

Misri and Finer discussed the potential for tapping into synergies between domestic initiatives to enhance industry competitiveness in both countries. They expressed satisfaction with ongoing collaborations in semiconductors, AI, defense innovation, and space. Finer’s visit to India is part of continuous high-level engagements, following the visits of US NSA Jake Sullivan to India and India’s NSA Ajit Doval to the US.

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