New Delhi, Jan 06, 2025, IANS

New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday met US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan in New Delhi to discuss a wide range of strategic, regional, and bilateral issues. The meeting took place as Sullivan, the outgoing US NSA, embarked on a two-day visit to India, concluding one of the last high-profile engagements of the Biden administration before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States on January 20. Sullivan's visit is aimed at reviewing the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), a significant partnership framework to expand strategic ties between the two nations. His itinerary includes meetings with NSA Ajit Doval and a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, where he will interact with young Indian entrepreneurs and deliver a speech on the bilateral innovation alliance under iCET. In his discussions with Doval, Sullivan is expected to delve into the implementation of iCET initiatives. These include cooperation in areas such as space, defence, strategic technology, and shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific region. Both NSAs have previously stressed the transformative potential of iCET in strengthening the India-US partnership. During a roundtable in June 2024, NSA Doval had underscored the importance of staying at the forefront of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and biotechnology, to protect shared value systems. "iCET has achieved more than what we could imagine," Doval remarked, highlighting progress in the defence innovation roadmap and the burgeoning semiconductor industry. Sullivan had echoed similar sentiments, identifying innovation, production, and deployment as the three pillars of the technology partnership and emphasising the importance of government support for private sector initiatives. The visit follows EAM Jaishankar's recent six-day trip to the US, during which he met several senior officials of the Biden administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan. The meetings reviewed the progress of the India-US partnership over the past four years. "Good to meet US NSA Jake Sullivan in Washington DC this morning. A wide-ranging discussion on the progress of the India-US strategic partnership. Also exchanged views on current regional and global developments," Jaishankar posted on X after their meeting. The iCET, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden in May 2022, has been lauded as a defining element of the India-US strategic relationship, driving advancements in critical sectors such as defence, semiconductors, and Artificial Intelligence. As Sullivan wraps up his visit, the discussions are expected to set the stage for continued collaboration under the Trump administration, with both nations poised to deepen their strategic and technological ties.