India's Dy NSA (Strategic Affairs) Vikram Misri (left) and US' Principal Dy NSA Jonathan Finer

New Delhi: In a significant stride towards bolstering technological cooperation, Jonathan Finer, the Principal Deputy National Security Adviser of the United States, held consultations with Vikram Misri, Deputy National Security Adviser (Strategic Affairs) and the deputy NSAs 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 President Joe Biden in May 2022.

Jonathan's visit was a follow-up to the visit of US NSA Jake Sullivan to India in June 2023 and the visit of NSA Ajit Doval, KC, to the US in January 2023, informed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

During the consultations, the two Deputy NSAs reviewed key bilateral issues and exchanged views on regional and global developments.

The two Deputy NSAs undertook the first comprehensive mid-term review of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) after the first meeting led by the respective NSAs in January 2023 in Washington, DC, the MEA said in a press release.

In May 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden launched iCET to facilitate outcome-oriented cooperation in new and emerging technologies. iCET is co-led by the NSCS in India and the US National Security Council (NSC).

They took stock of the progress made in building technology value chains under the framework of iCET. They expressed satisfaction with ongoing collaborations in diverse domains, including semiconductors, quantum, artificial intelligence (Al) and high-performance computing (HPC), defence innovation, space, and advanced telecommunications, through interactions between the respective governments, industry, academia and other stakeholders.

The two Deputy NSAs also reiterated their commitment to fulfilling the vision of PM Modi and President Biden for 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.

They 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, it added.

Finer also called on NSA Ajit Doval and EAM S Jaishankar. He will also meet Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and participate in the Global Technology Summit.