Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer led a high-profile US delegation to New Delhi on Saturday for a crucial intercessional review of the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET). Collaborating with Indian Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri, the talks underscored the deepening strategic security and technology collaboration between the two nations.
The iCET, hailed as a significant milestone in the US-India partnership, aims to set the direction for joint efforts in critical and emerging technologies. Finer and Ambassador Misri engaged in comprehensive discussions, focusing on the initiative's progress, prospects, and the imperative of fostering innovation to address shared challenges.
Beyond the iCET review, Finer held bilateral and regional consultations with key Indian officials, including
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra. These consultations delved into the intricacies of Indo-Pacific dynamics, emphasising the importance of enhanced coordination and policy alignment in the region.
In a series of in-depth discussions, the leaders addressed a spectrum of global issues. Topics ranged from the recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, highlighting the imperative to safeguard freedom of commercial navigation, to comprehensive plans for a post-conflict
Gaza and a viable pathway toward a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Finer commended India's proactive approach in addressing security concerns by establishing a Committee of Enquiry to investigate lethal plotting in the United States. Stressing the importance of accountability, he underscored the shared commitment to ensuring that those responsible for any wrongdoing are held to justice.
