India, US launch iCET, elevate strategic partnership: White House

India, US launch iCET, elevate strategic partnership: White House

Washington: India and the United States have elevated their strategic partnership with the launch of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology or iCET, the White House said as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met his US counterpart Jake Sullivan here.
“We 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,” the White House said in a fact sheet following the conclusion of the iCET inaugural meeting between Doval and Sullivan on Tuesday.
iCET is being launched at the direction of US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who after their Tokyo meeting in May 2022 had announced to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries.
“The United States and India affirm 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. We 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,” the White House said.
Doval and Sullivan were joined by high level officials from both sides in the meeting.
The two sides discussed opportunities for greater cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, co-development and co-production, and ways to deepen connectivity across our innovation ecosystems. They noted the value of establishing “innovation bridges” in key sectors, including through expos, hackathons, and pitch sessions. They also identified the fields of biotechnology, advanced materials, and rare earth processing technology as areas for future cooperation, the White House said.
Following the dialogue, a senior administration official said, they expect an intensified pace of high-level engagements along the way.
The arrangement also announced the establishment of the joint Indo-US Quantum Coordination mechanisms that will facilitate greater collaboration between consortium of leading researchers and quantum industry players in the United States with their counterparts in India.
On the defence side, the iCET announced a new bilateral defence industrial cooperation roadmap that will be intended to accelerate defence technology cooperation for joint development and production with an initial focus on exploration related to jet engines and other technologies.
PTI

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