NSA Doval Meets Blinken As US, India Seek To Achieve ‘Something Bigger’ In Defence And Critical Tech

NSA Ajit Doval Wednesday met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the last leg of his visit to the US, firming up plans to integrate New Delhi with Washington in high-tech defence collaboration.

NSA Ajit Doval met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on February 1.

Source : Twitter/@SecBlinken

New Delhi: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Wednesday during the last leg of his visit to Washington DC as both New Delhi and Washington look towards integrating more deeply than before their defence and critical technology sectors. Doval is visiting the US to lay down a long-term roadmap in aligning India’s critical technological advancements and defence technology with that of the US, thereby taking the India- US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership to the “next level”, top level sources told ABP Live.

This will be done under the 'Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies', or iCET, launched last year by US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be headed by the respective NSAs.

Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan held the first round on 31 January during which the Indian NSA urged “converting intentions into deliverables” while they plan to forge an ambitious partnership in jet engines and munition technology.

During their meeting, according to the sources quoted above, Doval and Blinken discussed issues concerning the “smooth working” of the iCET by removing all regulatory hurdles and export barriers.

The iCET, once implemented in full swing, is expected to not only lessen India’s “massive dependence” on Russian military platforms but also enable New Delhi to “stand up” against growing threats from China, said another source.

“NSA Ajit Doval met Secretary of State Antony Blinken today. Both sides exchanged views on a wide range of global and regional issues of mutual interest and how to further strengthen the India- U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” the Indian Embassy in the US said after the meeting.

Taking to Twitter, Blinken said: “The United States is expanding cooperation with India to address global challenges. I had a good meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today to discuss deepening our strategic partnership."

The United States is expanding cooperation with India to address global challenges. I had a good meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today to discuss deepening our strategic partnership. pic.twitter.com/HsTb0S8gKR

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 1, 2023

iCET ‘Something Bigger’ Than China Between US And India

According to the White House, the strategic partnership between US and India on critical technology and defence is “something bigger” than the China challenge.

Asked if the initiative is aimed at China, Karine Jean-Pierre, press secretary at the White House, said: “I mean, you can’t ignore the geopolitical context that we live in, as you asked me about China. But this initiative is not about one — any country or one country. It truly is about something bigger than that: a relationship between two friends, two countries who have been partners for some time.”

She added: “The President believes this initiative is key for the U.S. and India to create a democratic technology ecosystem and reinforces our democratic values and our democratic institutions. So, we see this as an incredibly important initiative and a partnership that we have with India.”

‘Deepen Connectivity’ In Defence Industrial Cooperation

Addressing a media briefing after the meeting between Doval and Blinken got over, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US Department of State, said the iCET “will elevate and expand our strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation". He said the two sides discussed "opportunities for greater cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, co-development and co-production, and ways to deepen connectivity across our innovation ecosystems".

Patel added: “We also expanded our defense cooperation with joint development and production, and this will focus on projects related to jet engines, munition-related technologies, and other systems.”

Blinken is expected to visit India in early March, following which PM Modi will likely undertake a trip to the US to meet President Biden and take the iCET programme forward and discuss the “next steps”.