NSA Ajit Doval, Jake Sullivan Hold India-US iCET Meeting In New Delhi

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan on Monday attended the annual meeting of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) between the two countries.

The delegation-level talks were held in the national capital. This is the second iCET meeting between the two countries and is being held over two days on 17 and 18 June. The first meeting was held in the United States in January last year.

US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in May 2022 to elevate and expand the bilateral strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses and academic institutions of the two countries.

The United States and India had affirmed that the ways in which technology is designed, developed, governed, and used should be shaped by "our shared democratic values and respect for universal human rights."

The two countries also said that they are committed to fostering an open, accessible, and secure technology ecosystem, "based on mutual trust and confidence, that will reinforce our democratic values and democratic institutions."

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with Jake Sullivan and discussed bilateral, regional and global issues.

Jaishankar expressed confidence that the strategic partnership between India and the US will continue to advance strongly in the near term.

"Delighted to welcome US NSA @JakeSullivan46 in New Delhi this morning. A comprehensive discussion on a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues. Confident that India-US strategic partnership will continue to advance strongly in our new term," Jaishankar said in a post on X.

Jake Sullivan, who is in India along with Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and other top officials, will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It is the first visit of a senior US official after the Modi government came to power for a third term. (ANI)