Jaishankar, US NSA Sullivan Take Stock of Preparations for PM Modi's Visit to Washington

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday held talks with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan with a focus on preparing for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming state visit to Washington.

The top Biden administration official arrived here on Tuesday on a two-day visit for talks with NSA Ajit Doval, Jaishankar and some other senior Indian officials ahead of Modi’s trip. Jaishankar said global strategic developments also figured in his talks with Sullivan.

”Great to meet US NSA @jakesullivan46 in South Block today morning. Our conversation focused on preparing for PM @narendramodi’s upcoming US visit. Also discussed global strategic developments from the perspective of our partnership,” Jaishankar tweeted.

NSA Doval and Sullivan on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious roadmap for Indo-US collaboration in seven specific high-technology areas, including semiconductors, next-generation telecommunication, artificial intelligence and defence.

After the roadmap was unveiled at an event, Sullivan, referring to Modi’s visit to Washington, said both sides are looking at ”deliverables” to address issues that have stood in the way of maximising the full potential of cooperation between the two sides.

”They are fundamentally designed to remove those obstacles in defence trading, in hi-tech trade, in investment in each of our countries, in taking away obstacles that have stood in the way of better collaboration among our scientists and researchers, in stimulating greater access for our students going both ways, for Americans coming to India, for Indians coming to the US,” he.

The roadmap for collaboration was announced at the second Track-1.5 dialogue on Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) that was organised by industry chamber CII.

In a major move, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced in May last year the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The formal movement on the framework took place in January. The iCET is expected to forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and 6G, biotech, space and semiconductors.

In his remarks at the Track 1.5 dialogue, Doval said significant progress has been achieved after the launch of the iCET around six months back and that it will serve as a platform to address regulatory barriers and related issues.

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