Ajit Doval stresses importance of US-India technological leadership for strategic interests

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday emphasised the pivotal role India and the US must play in spearheading the development of critical technologies, citing broader strategic interests.

Doval’s remarks followed a day after he and his American counterpart, Jake Sullivan, unveiled a series of transformative initiatives aimed at deepening cooperation between India and the US in crucial areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals, advanced telecommunications, and defense space.

The NSA was addressing the iCET (India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology) industry roundtable, hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). This initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in May 2022 with the goal of fostering greater collaboration in critical technology domains.

During his speech, Doval highlighted the remarkable progress achieved by iCET, particularly in defense innovation and startup ecosystems, underscoring the significance of the semiconductor industry.

Sullivan, in his address, outlined three key areas for technology partnerships: innovation, production, and deployment. He stressed the importance of innovation and advocated for government support for the private sector.

Both NSAs assured the industry of their openness to addressing specific issues and committed to conducting due diligence to overcome any obstacles hindering deeper India-US ties.