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National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and his U.S. counterpart, Jake Sullivan, who is on a two-day visit to India, resolved to prevent the “leakage” of sensitive and dual-use technologies to countries of “concern” as they chaired the second meeting of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
India and the U.S. are currently in advanced stages of talks for the purchase of 31 MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles and licensed manufacture of General Electric GE-414 jet engines as well as the Stryker infantry vehicles
Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)
The iCET was announced by India and the US in May 2022 and was officially launched in January 2023 and is being run by the National Security Council of both countries.
Under iCET, both countries have identified six areas of cooperation which would include co-development and co-production, that would gradually be expanded to QUAD, then to NATO, followed by Europe and the rest of the world.
Under iCET, India is ready to share its core technologies with the US and expects Washington to do the same.
It aims to promote collaboration in critical and emerging technology areas, including AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, and wireless telecommunication.
Focus Areas of the Initiative:
AI research agency partnership.
Defense industrial cooperation, defense technological cooperation, and defense startups.
Innovation Ecosystems.
Semiconductor ecosystem development.
Cooperation on human spaceflight.
Advancement in 5G and 6G technologies, and adoption of OpenRAN network technology in India.
MQ-9B
The MQ-9B Predator drone ("Predators") is an unmanned aerial vehicle developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), with its primary purpose being for the United States Air Force (USAF).
They are High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones that can fly for over 40 hours using a satellite.
Out of the 31 MQ-9B Predator drones, of which the Navy will get 15 SeaGuardian drones, while the Army and the Indian Air Force will get eight each of the land version – SkyGuardian.
They can be used for offensive missions, reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence operations
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