WASHINGTON: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official state visit to the US, officials of both countries have intensified their discussions on co-producing jet engines, long-range artillery and infantry vehicles under the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and US NSA Jake Sullivan launched iCET earlier this year.
It was done at the direction of US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who after their Tokyo meeting in May 2022 had announced to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses and academic institutions of the two countries.
At a meeting with Indian Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane at the Pentagon, US Deputy Defence Secretary Kathleen Hicks termed the proposals to co-produce jet engines, long-range artillery and infantry vehicles under iCET “unprecedented opportunities” to strengthen ties between the defence sectors of the two nations.
The two officials discussed priorities for strengthening the US-India defence partnership, including increasing defence industrial cooperation and operational collaboration, Pentagon spokesperson Eric Pahon said.
Hicks underscored the importance of the US-India relationship as critical for promoting peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. She also reiterated the importance of deepening military-to-military relations between the two nations as the technology partnership grows, Pahon added.