India-US ICET collaboration

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• Recently, the second review meeting of the India-US Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) was chaired by India's National Security Adviser (NSA) and his US counterpart in New Delhi.
• A joint fact sheet was released after the meeting, outlining the vision for the next chapter of the US-India strategic technology partnership.

 

      Main results of the meeting

• Remarkable progress in technological fields
• The recent second review meeting of India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) was chaired by India's National Security Adviser (NSA) and his US counterpart in New Delhi.
• These discussions highlighted the significant progress made by the two countries in deepening and expanding strategic cooperation in various key technology areas.
• These areas include aerospace, semiconductors, advanced telecommunications, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, STEM, biotechnology, critical minerals and clean energy.

 

        Addressing barriers and facilitating collaboration

• Apart from reviewing the progress, the meeting focused on charting the way forward to further facilitate mutual cooperation. The leaders discussed strategies to overcome pending obstacles in trade, technology and industrial cooperation.
• The purpose of this dialogue is to enhance partnership and ensure smooth operation and progress in identified technology areas.

 

       What is ICET?

• iCET was announced by India and the US in May 2022 to promote greater cooperation in critical technologies. Officially launched in January 2023, it is managed by the National Security Councils of both countries.
• Six areas of cooperation have been identified initially, including co-development and co-production. Under this, there is a plan to expand cooperation at the Quad, NATO, European and global level.
• India is ready to share its key technologies with the US through iCET and expects reciprocal action from Washington.

 

      Focus Areas of the Initiative

     - Participation in AI research agencies

    - Cooperation in defense industrial and technical sectors

    - Development of innovation ecosystem

     - Advancement of Semiconductor Ecosystem

     - Collaboration on human space flight

      - Advancement in 5G and 6G technologies and adoption of OpenRAN network technology in India

     - iCET has recently included biotechnology, critical minerals, rare earth mineral processing and digital technology.

 

 Importance of ICET

       Overview of iCET

India-US cooperation on defense and energy has received a significant boost with the launch of iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies). Announced in May 2022 and officially launched in January 2023, iCET aims to deepen ties between the governments, academia and industry of the two countries.

The initiative, managed by the National Security Councils of both countries, focuses on promoting cooperation in critical technologies.

 

Strategic partnerships and regional influence

India has become an important strategic partner for the US in countering China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. This partnership under iCET is designed to strengthen their alliance and provide advanced technologies to the global market at affordable rates.

By working together, the US and India are positioning themselves to more effectively address regional and global challenges.

 

Technological progress and cooperation

iCET emphasizes several key areas of technical cooperation, which are as follows –

- AI research agencies: Increasing partnership in artificial intelligence research.

- Defense Collaboration: Collaborating in defense industrial, technological and startup sectors.

- Innovation Ecosystem : Develop strong innovation network.

- Semiconductor Ecosystem : Advancing Semiconductor Industry

- Human Space Flight: Collaborating on space exploration initiatives.

- 5G and 6G technologies: Advances in next-generation telecommunications and adoption of OpenRAN network technology in India.

The scope of iCET has recently included biotechnology, critical minerals, rare earth mineral processing and digital technology.

 

Alignment with Quad

• The iCET dialogue is seen as a strategic alignment of commercial and scientific perspectives in technology.
• The initiative is expected to have a wider impact, potentially reflected in the progress of the Quad – an informal grouping of Australia, Japan, India and the United States – that also focuses on regional stability and technological advancement.

 

The challenges

• Cross-border trade and technical barriers
• Technical collaboration between industries is becoming increasingly complex due to cross-border trade and technological challenges.
• Recent disputes have highlighted these issues, such as the US challenging India's mandatory domestic material requirements for solar panels at the WTO dispute settlement body, accusing India of discriminating against non-domestic manufacturers. has gone.
• Additionally, export restrictions from protectionist countries like the US add complexity. Recent measures including import duties on steel from India underscore these trade barriers.

 

Intellectual property rights and joint financing

• It is important to establish clear agreements on the sharing of intellectual property rights (IPR) in joint financing projects. The new start-up should be given due recognition and a fair share of the IPR should be distributed to the joint ventures.
• Ensuring reliability in the supply chain is also important to prevent disruptions in agreed projects and areas of cooperation.

 

India's R&D investment gap

• Despite government initiatives aimed at promoting research and development (R&D) financing, India lags behind global leaders in investing in emerging and critical technologies.
• The country's current R&D investment is about 0.7% of GDP, as opposed to 2 - 3% typically distributed by leading countries. Key areas such as quantum computing, AI and semiconductor manufacturing require adequate infrastructure and a skilled workforce.

 

Need to increase private sector participation

• Government programs like iDEX are designed to support startups and promote innovation. However, there is a dire need to increase private sector participation in R&D efforts to advance critical technologies and bridge the investment gap.

 

Next step

Addressing trade barriers

• Both countries should focus on solving trade and technical issues by eliminating trade barriers to enhance bilateral relations. The objective of this collaborative approach is to promote smooth interaction between the two countries and reduce friction.

 

Adoption of technology conservation measures

• Both sides have agreed to adopt each other's technology protection protocols to protect sensitive and dual-use technologies. This will help prevent unauthorized transfer of important technologies between countries.

 

Develop a flexible regulatory framework

• Given the dual nature of technology, it is necessary to establish a dynamic regulatory framework. This framework must adapt rapidly to technological advances while maintaining ethical standards and addressing potential risks.

 

Promote investment in R&D

• Clear and transparent policies on intellectual property rights should be made to encourage research and development (R&D). These policies will provide certainty and encourage both public and private sector investments especially in emerging technologies.

 

Promote cooperation

• It is important to encourage collaboration between industry, academia and research institutions. Such partnerships will help leverage expertise and resources, promote innovation and progress in various technology areas.
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