Today, U.S. National Security Advisor (APNSA) Jake Sullivan met with Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi as the United States and India continue to forge a strategic technology partnership that benefits both of our countries and our partners around the world. APNSA Sullivan and NSA Doval launched the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in 2022 at the direction of President Biden and Prime Minister Modi. In the intervening years, our two nations have taken significant steps forward together to integrate our technology and defense supply chains in recognition that, now more than ever, we need to work with our partners to build a trusted and resilient innovation base.
During their capstone meeting, APNSA Sullivan and NSA Doval underscored the vital importance of our efforts to jointly produce and develop strategic technologies that will allow us to deliver secure, reliable, and cost-competitive technology solutions for the world. As the United States and India deepen collaboration across key sectors - from space to semiconductors, biotechnology, cybersecurity, advanced telecommunications, and clean energy - we have seen the promise of our partnership deliver results. Our partnership has also anchored multilateral work with like-minded nations from across the Indo-Pacific and Europe, including the Bio-5 Biopharmaceutical Supply Chain Consortium, the U.S.-India-ROK Technology Trilateral, and ongoing cooperation with Australia and Japan through the Quad.
Finally, APNSA Sullivan and NSA Doval reaffirmed our shared resolve to adapt and strengthen our technology protection toolkits and discussed efforts to address national security concerns associated with overcapacity in key technology sectors. At the same time, they commended the progress we have made to address long-standing barriers to bilateral strategic trade, technology, and industrial cooperation.
The two national security leaders expressed their confidence that the bridges we have built across our governments, industry, and academia will endure and reflected on the significant achievements we have driven across every dimension of the technological enterprise - from the seabed to the stars, and beyond. This includes:
Launching a New Era in Space Technology Cooperation
- Announcing the first-ever joint effort between American and Indian astronauts at the International Space Station with the launch of Axiom-4 scheduled to take place this spring, which will mark a significant milestone in the U.S.-India human spaceflight partnership and space exploration;
- Reducing barriers to collaboration around commercial space technology following the U.S. government's recent conclusion of updates to Missile Technology Control Regime export policy, which will open the door to additional technology licensing and co-development opportunities in support of the U.S.-India space partnership;
- Working toward the launch of a new bilateral space accelerator to promote commercial space cooperation, including around lunar exploration, human spaceflight, geospatial data and services, and the co-development of technology;
- Celebrating the conclusion of a Strategic Framework for Human Spaceflight Cooperation to deepen interoperability in space and working toward the imminent completion of additional agreements to commence advanced training for ISRO astronauts and ground personnel at the NASA Johnson Space Center and for joint experiments at the International Space Station;
- Preparing for the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, a jointly developed satellite that will map the entirety of the Earth's surface twice every 12 days as the United States and India work together to combat climate change and other global challenges, this spring;
- Deciding to hold the first bilateral experts' exchange on space situational awareness and space traffic coordination in the first half of this year. This exchange builds upon the two nations' shared commitment to pursue opportunities for deeper collaboration to ensure safe and sustainable space operations;
- Exploring additional avenues for cooperation in space exploration technologies, including docking and interoperability demonstration missions, as well as India's participation in the United States Traffic Coordination System for Space program.
Deepening Defense Innovation and Industrial Cooperation
- Welcoming the advancement of discussions between Ultra Maritime and Bharat Dynamics Limited to enhance undersea domain awareness through a first-of-its-kind partnership on co-production of U.S. sonobuoys in support of the U.S. and Indian defense industrial bases;
- Welcoming India's acquisition of the MQ-9B platforms, the possible co-production of land warfare systems, and progress on other co-production initiatives outlined in the U.S.-India Roadmap for Defense Industrial Cooperation;
- Celebrating the third edition of the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit which took place at Stanford University in September 2024, and highlighting the continued progress under INDUS-X, including the Gurukul Educational Sessions and the launch of a third joint challenge on space situational awareness in low earth orbit;
- Welcoming the completion of an upgraded Memorandum of Understanding between the Defense Innovation Unit and the Defense Innovation Organization to expand cooperation on defense innovation and deepen collaboration between the U.S. and Indian startup ecosystems;
- Deepening cooperation between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and India's Innovations for Defense Excellence to accelerate the joint adoption of cutting-edge commercial technologies for military solutions and capability enhancement of both countries' defense ecosystems;
- Noting continued progress in the discussions between GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the co-production of GE F414-INS6 engines to power India's future fighter fleet;
- Expanding defense industrial partnerships, such as the launch of an AI Multi-Doman Situational Awareness product jointly developed by General Atomics and 114ai to support joint all domain command and control.
Building a Clean Energy and a Critical Minerals Partnership for the 21st Century
- Advancing discussions to unlock new commercial partnerships around the deployment of small modular reactor technology in India;
- Reflecting the progress the United States and India have made-and will continue to make-as strategic partners and countries with a shared commitment to peaceful nuclear cooperation, NSA Sullivan announced US efforts to finalize necessary steps to delist Indian nuclear entities, which will promote civil nuclear cooperation and resilient clean energy supply chains;
- Commending the signing of a bilateral Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Mines, and driving additional areas of cooperation in critical mineral supply chains such as for graphite, gallium, and germanium;
- Advancing collaboration between U.S. and Indian organizations and companies for carrying out research studies for beneficiation and co-development of processing technologies for critical minerals, including lithium, titanium, gallium, and vanadium;
- Building a collaborative program between the Geological Survey of India and the U.S. Geological Survey on exploration, characterization and evaluation of rare earth elements and critical mineral deposits.
Promoting Strategic Semiconductor Supply Chain Partnerships
- Advancing a strategic semiconductor partnership between the U.S. Space Force and 3rdiTech to establish a compound semiconductor fabrication plant in India to manufacture infrared, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide semiconductors that will be used in national security-relevant platforms; this includes favorably reviewing a technical assistance agreement and export licenses to promote technology transfers;
- Building on the U.S.-India Semiconductor Supply Chain and Innovation Partnership MOU and promoting secure, resilient, and sustainable semiconductor supply chains through continued collaboration between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the India Semiconductor Mission, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology including facilitating investments in semiconductor manufacturing and strengthening R&D collaboration around state-of-the-art semiconductor and packaging technologies.
Building New Collaboration around AI, Advanced Computing, and Quantum
- Developing a government-to-government framework for promoting reciprocal investments in AI technology and aligning protections around the diffusion of AI technology;
- Strengthening cooperation around the national security applications of AI, following the U.S. government's recent issuance of a National Security Memorandum on AI last fall, and promoting safe, secure, and trustworthy development of AI;
- Noting the importance of sustained engagement for cooperation on Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST) as agreed to in the second meeting of the U.S.-India Quantum Coordination Mechanism held last August, during which both countries committed to achieving concrete outcomes;
- Initiating new cooperation in quantum science and technology, including through a workshop on post-quantum cryptography and quantum hardware held at the University of California, Los Angeles in September 2023 and facilitating visits of Indian technical experts from academia and the private sector to visit U.S. national laboratories and quantum institutions.
Bridging our People, Talent, and Innovation Bases
- Celebrating progress toward opening U.S. Consulate Bengaluru in early 2025 and continuing work to establish new Indian Consulates in Boston and Los Angeles;
- Advancing a "Bio-X" initiative that would promote biotechnology cooperation by leveraging the synergies between domestic programs and enhancing the competitiveness of the biotechnology industries in both countries;
- Celebrating steps that expand of the ability of top AI scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs from India to come to the United States, including rulemaking that modernized the U.S. H-1B application process, recent clarifications of the rules for O-1 visas and other visa categories, and other efforts that have streamlined visa processing;
- Noting the recently launched U.S.-India Advanced Materials R&D Forum, which convened its inaugural meeting in November 2024, to expand collaboration between U.S. and Indian universities, national laboratories, and private sector researchers.
