New Delhi: The United States, Republic of Korea (ROK) and India convened a landmark trilateral technology meeting to explore synergies across a spectrum of vital sectors. The meeting, a culmination of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) and the US-ROK Next Generational Critical and Emerging Technology Dialogue, underscored a commitment to expanding cooperation in critical and emerging technologies.

At the trilateral technology meeting, discussions spanned semiconductor supply chains, telecommunications, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space exploration, advanced materials, clean energy, defence industrial development, and biotechnology, notably active pharmaceutical supply chains.

The three nations, emphasising shared economic and national security interests, pledged to drive innovation, fortify technology supply chains, and provide technology solutions for the broader Indo-Pacific region while coordinating measures to protect sensitive technologies and foster trusted technology ecosystems regionally and globally.

Following the inauguration of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in January 2023 and the US-ROK Next Generational Critical and Emerging Technology Dialogue in December 2023, the trilateral meeting was convened.

The discussions were led by Senior Director Tarun Chhabra of the US National Security Council and Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology Seth Centre of the US State Department, Deputy National Security Advisor Wang Yunjong of the ROK National Security Office, and Joint Secretary Lekhan Thakkar of the Indian National Security Council Secretariat, according to the US Embassy in New Delhi.

India and the US joined hands on critical technology including Space, Quantum, and Semiconductors in 2023. Both India and the US have elevated their strategic partnership with the launch of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology or iCET. “We are committed to fostering an open, accessible, and secure technology ecosystem, based on mutual trust and confidence, that will reinforce our democratic values and democratic institutions,” according to a fact sheet issued by White House in January 2023.

On the sidelines of the QUAD leaders’ summit 2022 in Tokyo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President Joe Biden had announced the decision to elevate and expand the Strategic Technology Partnership as well as Defence Industrial Cooperation.