On Monday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a meeting with the U.S. National Security Advisor NSA Jake Sullivan to discuss the enhancement of cooperation in areas like critical technologies, maritime security, and regional stability. The meeting was also the last time that Sullivan would visit the Indo-Pacific as the U.S. NSA during Biden’s presidency. Sullivan’s visit also paved the way for change in the subsequent Donald Trump government.
Sullivan is set to meet Indian NSA Ajit Doval to go over the output of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), which is a main cooperation agenda that seeks to foster cooperation in semiconductors as well as other defence and technology-related projects. With reference to his meeting with Sullivan, Jaishankar added on X, “Had a further discussion on strengthening our bilateral, regional, and global cooperation. Of the four years of discussions, we appreciated your candidness. He also appreciated Sullivan’s individual contribution towards building the India-US strategic partnership.
The Defence Industrial Cooperation and Exchange programme, managed by Doval and Sullivan for the past two years, has developed cooperation in strategically significant fields, including new-age defence technology, aerospace research and development, and encouraging innovation in identified sectors.
White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby found the meeting Sullivan had with his Indian counterpart to be a capstone meeting to commemorate the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in defence, space, strategic technology, and Indo-Pacific security concerns. Part of his visit also involves a keynote address at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi about the progress of the iCET agenda as well as the partnership between America and India in creating an innovation partnership.
This visit is likely to be the final interaction of Indian leaders with the outgoing Biden administration before the change of guard brings a new relationship with the Trump administration. Jaishankar also met Sullivan and Trump’s NSA nominee, Mike Waltz, during a recent trip to the United States.
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