India, US review cooperation in emerging technology, semiconductors

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, December 4

A senior official from the White House on Monday held a meeting with Deputy National Security Adviser Vikram Misri. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the meeting primarily focused on a comprehensive mid-term review of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), whose first meeting was co-chaired by the two National Security Advisers (NSAs) in January.

The MEA made no mention of any talks on the alleged botched attempt to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. “The two Deputy NSAs reviewed key bilateral issues and exchanged views on regional and global developments,” said the MEA.

Previously, sensitive issues such as the alleged involvement of Indian Government officials were brushed under the topic of “bilateral issues”.

It is understood that the US side is publicly playing down the case, whereas its Department of Justice alleges that Indian Government officials were ready to pay $ 1 lakh to an Indian-origin narco-smuggler to kill Pannun. But sources acknowledge that the trajectory could take an unknown turn once the case is taken up for active hearing.

The visiting US official, Jonathan Finer, US Principal Deputy National Security Adviser, also called on NSA Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. He will also meet Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra. The MEA release mentioned details only about Finer’s meeting with Misri. The aim of the interaction was to facilitate outcome-oriented cooperation in new and emerging technologies. They also took stock of progress made in building technology value chains under the framework of iCET. They also noted ongoing collaborations in semiconductors, quantum, Al and High-Performance Computing (HPC), defence innovation, space, and advanced telecommunications, added the MEA.