Washington: Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor of the United States, has postponed his trip to India this week owing to ongoing developments in the Middle East.
According to a spokesperson from the US Embassy, NSA Sullivan aims to conduct the annual review of the Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) at the earliest opportunity.
“Due to the current situation in the Middle East, NSA Sullivan has decided to postpone his visit to India this week. He is eager to hold the annual review of the Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) at the earliest possible date and remains fully committed to enhancing the significant partnership between the United States and India,” stated the spokesperson.
In addition, US President Joe Biden is anticipating the upcoming meeting of Quad leaders.
“The President is looking forward to the next Quad leaders’ meeting and continuing our collaborative efforts with India to achieve positive outcomes for both American and Indian citizens, as well as our partners, in alignment with our shared vision for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” added the spokesperson.
Earlier plans had President Biden’s top national security aide scheduled to be in New Delhi on April 17.
Sullivan’s previous intended visit to India in February was postponed due to the global crises in Ukraine and West Asia, necessitating the rescheduling of the annual iCET review meeting.
Initiated in May 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden, iCET aims to facilitate result-driven cooperation in emerging technologies. The initiative is jointly led by India’s National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and the US National Security Council (NSC).
During the second edition of the INDUS-X Summit in New Delhi in February, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane emphasized the strong defence partnership between India and the US, grounded in mutual respect and strategic alignment.
Aramane highlighted the joint launch of Initiatives on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) by PM Modi and President Biden in 2022. He also mentioned the Defence Innovation Bridge, a significant outcome of iCET, fostering collaboration between US and Indian startups in the defence sector.
Meanwhile, during a routine State Department briefing, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reaffirmed America’s strategic partnership with India. “India is the world’s largest democracy and an important strategic partner of the United States, and I anticipate this relationship will continue to be significant,” stated Miller during a press briefing.
