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washington [US]February 1 (ANI): National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held talks with US Deputy Defense Secretary Catherine Hicks to discuss priorities for the US-India bilateral defense partnership.
Discussions between Dorval and Hicks included enhancing policy and operational coordination in the Indo-Pacific region and increasing defense industry cooperation between the two countries, the Pentagon said in a release. During the meeting, Hicks reiterated that building alliances and partnerships is a top priority for the Department of Defense and an integral part of the ongoing U.S. National Defense Strategy.
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“Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr Catherine Hicks met with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval today in Washington, DC to discuss priorities for the US-India bilateral defense partnership, including enhanced policy and operational coordination in the Indo-Pacific region and to strengthen industrial cooperation between the defense nations,” the Pentagon said in a release.
Catherine Hicks tweeted: “I met with #India Nat’l Security Advisor #AjitDoval today to discuss US-India defense partnership priorities, thank India for leadership in the Indo-Pacific, and discuss approach to deepening cooperation in the defense industry.”
Meanwhile, the Indian embassy in the US said in a tweet, “Deputy Defense Minister Dr Kathleen Hicks @DepSecDef visited NSA Ajit Doval. They discussed a range of topics including US-India defense cooperation and regional security issues.”
During the talks, Hicks thanked NSA Doval for India’s leadership in the Indo-Pacific region and discussed ways to deepen Indo-US military coordination to address the region’s increasingly competitive strategic environment.
“The Undersecretary thanked NSA Doval India for its leadership in the region and discussed ways to deepen coordination between the U.S. and Indian militaries in response to an increasingly competitive strategic environment in the region,” the DoD said in a release.
The two sides discussed opportunities to increase bilateral defense industry cooperation through innovative joint efforts between U.S. and Indian companies in support of India’s unique warfighting requirements. Hicks and Doval said they look forward to making progress in advancing the US-India defense partnership.
Doval will pay an official visit to Washington from January 30 to February 1. Doval was accompanied by senior government officials and Indian industry leaders on his visit to the United States, the foreign ministry said in a press release.
NSA Doval and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan co-chaired the first meeting of the Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) Initiative at the White House on January 31.
According to a press release, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden announced the initiative on critical and emerging technologies during their meeting in Tokyo in May 2022.
iCET aims to position the two countries as trusted technology partners by building a technology value chain and supporting co-development and co-production of projects. It also aims to address regulatory restrictions, export controls and mobility barriers through standing mechanisms.
The U.S. has pledged support for efforts to ease export barriers to India in several key areas, including through legislative reforms. According to the press release, at the launch event, the focus will be on strengthening ties between the start-up ecosystems and building innovation bridges in key areas of the two countries through expos, hackathons and pitches.
The foreign ministry said in a press release that the two sides established a quantum coordination mechanism involving industry and academia. In the field of semiconductors, the United States supports India in developing a manufacturing ecosystem, encouraging joint ventures and partnerships in mature technology nodes and advanced packaging.
India’s ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, also hosted a reception for the NSA at India House on January 31. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Jack Sullivan, Acting Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and several senior officials of the U.S. government, as well as CEOs of advanced technology companies and funds, and heads of major U.S. universities participated up the reception. (Arnie)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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