Jake Sullivan briefs USISPF board members on India-US relationship

Washington: Outgoing US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Thursday addressed board members of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum on various aspects of bilateral relationship between the two largest democracies of the world and the landmark initiatives launched during the four years of the Biden administration.

Sullivan, who was in India early this month, briefed the USISPF Board on the productive dialogue he had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his counterpart Ajit Doval, the Indian National Security Advisor, and External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar.

He touched on the comprehensive US-India partnership and the landmark initiatives launched during the Biden Administration, and how he prioritised his India visit in his limited time in the new year, USISPF said.

During the briefing, Sullivan underscored a broad array of initiatives spanning defense, technology, cyber and maritime security, and economic collaboration to enhance mutual interests and contribute to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Sullivan’s leadership has been particularly pivotal in strengthening the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) launched in 2022 at the direction of Biden and Modi.

Under iCET, the defense partnership continues to strengthen, with the launch of the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), which further expands defense synergy with the private sector, VCs, and defense innovation ecosystems, the media release said.

“Jake Sullivan has been a champion in charting the course for robust U.S.-India relations. His leadership and collaborative spirit have propelled significant advancements—from iCET initiatives to joint endeavours in technology and defense cooperation. He’s been a fine ambassador to the relationship and has fructified the partnership to the apex it is presently at. We extend our deepest gratitude for his unwavering commitment to deepening our strategic ties and wish him every success in his future endeavors,” said Mukesh Aghi, president of USISPF.

During the discussion, Sullivan underscored the administration is leaving the US-India relationship in a very strong position and emphasized that the incoming team has an opportunity to continue work on this important agenda.