On February 1, in order to “launch the next milestone” in US-India strategic technology and defense collaboration, Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval was hosted by his US counterpart Jake Sullivan at the White House.
Sullivan and Doval participated in a Chamber of Commerce event on January 30 along with executives from Applied Materials Inc, Lockheed Martin Corp and Adani Enterprises.
From January 30 to February 1, Doval will be in Washington on official business. He is accompanied by senior government officials and business executives from India. US Senators Mark Warner and John Cornyn were guests of India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu at India House where they discussed strengthening ties.
“It is an honor to welcome India’s National Security Adviser Doval to the White House to launch the next milestone in the US-Pacific strategic defense-technology partnership,” Sullivan said in a tweet.
India and the US will be able to compete with China in military hardware, semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), thanks to this collaboration, according to US President Joe Biden.
To compete with China’s Huawei, the United States wants to expand the number of Western mobile phone networks in the subcontinent. Washington also wants to attract more Indian computer chip specialists to the US and promote cooperation between US and Indian companies that develop military hardware such as artillery systems.
Also read: NSA Ajit Doval and US counterpart launch US-India Initiative on iCET
The White House is seeking to address India’s historic reliance on Russia for military equipment, but faces an uphill battle on all fronts, including US bans on the transfer of military technology and work visas for immigrants.
“The biggest challenge posed by China: its economic practices, its aggressive military moves, its efforts to dominate the industries of the future and control the supply chains of the future have had a profound impact on thinking in Delhi,” Sullivan previously said. .
By engaging in military exercises with Russia and increasing its purchases of the nation’s crude oil, India has already frustrated the White House. However, the US has refrained from commenting, urging India to take a more aggressive stance towards China as it pushes the nation over Russia.