Two sides reviewed ongoing cooperation in multilateral export control regimes and agreed to share best practices…reports Asian Lite News
The inaugural meeting of India-US Strategic Trade Dialogue (IUSSTD) was held in Washington D.C recently ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US from June 21. The dialogue aimed to propel strategic technology and trade collaborations envisioned under the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).
Led by foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the Indian delegation actively participated in the dialogue. The US delegation was co-led by Alan Estevez, Under Secretary for Industry and Security in the US Department of Commerce, and Ambassador Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs in the US Department of State, reported The Hindustan Times.
In the emerging and critical technologies domain, the iCET envisages an ‘innovation bridge’ with India by joining six of India’s Technology Innovation Hubs to support at least 25 joint research projects in areas such as AI and data science and apply its gains to areas such as agriculture, health, and climate. In May 2022, India and the US had also pledged to expand cooperation in new defence domains such as space and cyber besides a promise to launch a dialogue on AI.
The Dialogue is a key mechanism to take forward the strategic technology and trade collaborations envisaged under the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). iCET will hold high level dialogue here next week, reported The Economic Times.
The two sides reviewed ongoing cooperation in multilateral export control regimes and agreed to share best practices.
The senior officials acknowledged that the dialogue would be instrumental to enabling co-production, co-development and enhanced industrial collaborations in critical technologies.
The two sides agreed to set up a regular monitoring group which will review progress in deepening cooperation in the bilateral high-tech trade and technology partnership. The co-chairs agreed to continue the dialogue with the objective of strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, officials informed The Economic Times.
During the meeting, IUSSTD centred its discussions on identifying ways in which both governments could facilitate the development and trade of critical technologies in domains such as semiconductors, space, telecom, quantum, AI, defence, and biotech, among others. Both sides engaged in comprehensive reviews of relevant bilateral export control regulations, with the primary objective of constructing resilient and diversified supply chains for these strategic technologies, reported Hindustan Times.
Recognizing the importance of global collaboration, the participants also examined ongoing cooperation in multilateral export control regimes and reached a consensus to exchange best practices. They further agreed to conduct workshops and similar activities to enhance awareness among industry professionals, academia, and other stakeholders about the export control regimes.
The dialogue acknowledged its pivotal role in fostering co-production, codevelopment, and robust industrial collaborations in critical technologies. In light of this, both sides mutually agreed to establish a regular monitoring group tasked with reviewing progress and deepening cooperation in bilateral high-tech trade and technology partnerships, the newspaper reported.
Modi, Biden to discuss Indo-Pacific
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the United States, discussions between him and President Joe Biden will center around strengthening their commitment to a free, open, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific region.
Modi is scheduled to visit the US on June 22 following an invitation from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. “The PM and the President will discuss ways to strengthen our two countries, shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific and our shared resolve to elevate our strategic technology partnership, including defence,” Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre said when asked if the defence would be a major part of the discussion between the two leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the first Indian Prime Minister who will address the Joint Meeting of the US Congress for the second time during his upcoming official state visit to the United States from June 21 to 24.
“I don’t have anything more to say at this time about the visit. As we get closer, certainly we will have more to share. What I’ve said is the upcoming visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link the Americans and Indians together,” she said.
“So that certainly will be talked about in clean energy and space, but I’m just not going to get into details on what the particulars will be. And as we get closer to June 22, we certainly have more to share,” she added.
US and India have a strategic alliance. In their last in-person meeting in Indonesia, Prime Minister Modi and President Biden took into account areas like crucial and emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.
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