Nuclear deal, space, defence: Key points from US NSA Sullivan's India trip

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan visited India from January 5-6 for his final overseas trip before leaving office

As outgoing United States (US) President Joe Biden's administration enters its penultimate week in office, the US announced on Monday that it is taking steps to remove long-standing regulations that have restricted civil nuclear cooperation between India’s leading nuclear entities and US companies. Visiting US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan stated that these measures are crucial to unlocking the full potential of the 2008 India-US civil nuclear agreement.

 

US NSA Sullivan was in India from January 5-6 for his final overseas visit before leaving office. During his trip, he met his counterpart Ajit Doval and external affairs minister S Jaishankar and also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In addition to announcing the easing of restrictions on Indian companies to strengthen civil nuclear cooperation, Sullivan highlighted the deepening India-US defence and technology partnership as a key pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific. He also spoke about the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor's potential to offer a more effective growth and integration model than China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

 

 

However, Sullivan issued a cautionary note, stating that for India and the US to achieve the "boundless" potential in their partnership, both nations must uphold shared values such as "respect for rule of law that creates conditions for dynamic growth, respect for pluralism and tolerance that powers innovation, and protection of basic freedoms that unleash the human spirit." He emphasised that these principles are fundamental to how the two democracies would continue to grow and thrive.

 

Sullivan: Paperwork to delist Indian nuclear entities underway

 

Regarding the steps to delist Indian nuclear entities to enable stronger civil nuclear cooperation, Sullivan stated that the formal paperwork would be completed soon. "This will be an opportunity to turn the page on some of the frictions of past and create opportunities for entities that have been on restrictive lists in US to come off those lists and enter into deep collaboration with the US, with our private sector, with our scientists and technologists, to move civil nuclear cooperation forward together," the Times of India reported him as saying while addressing a gathering at IIT-Delhi. 

 

Sullivan reportedly stated that as efforts continue to develop clean energy technologies that support artificial intelligence growth and foster innovation among US and Indian energy companies, the Biden administration has decided that it is time to take the next significant step in strengthening this partnership.

 

NSA Doval and Sullivan met in New Delhi on Monday, where the latter announced "US efforts to finalise necessary steps to delist Indian nuclear entities, which will promote civil nuclear cooperation and resilient clean energy supply chains," according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) joint press release. This was said to be a reflection of the progress the US and India have made, and will continue to make, as strategic partners and countries "with a shared commitment to peaceful nuclear cooperation". 

 

Sullivan highlights US missile export policy updates

 

Sullivan briefed the Indian side on "updates introduced by the Biden administration to US missile export control policies under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), aimed at boosting US commercial space cooperation with India," according to the MEA release. 

 

Since the launch of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Biden during the Quad Summit in Tokyo in May 2022, the two NSAs have "driven concrete initiatives across various sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, semiconductors, telecommunications, defence, and space," the MEA release added. 

 

The release further noted that the current visit provided an opportunity for the NSAs to "review ongoing progress in their high-level dialogue, covering areas such as defence, cyber, and maritime security".

 

Sullivan warns on dual-use tech transfer, calls for stronger India-US export controls

 

Sullivan, who along with Doval is a key architect of initiatives under iCET, also expressed concerns about the transfer of dual-use technology to Russia, according to the Times of India. "And as we see more and more new technologies diverted to unfriendly actors, the US and India are going to have to ensure that valuable dual-use technologies don't fall into the wrong hands," he said.

 

He further emphasised, "That means aligning our export control systems, looking at trade measures to protect our industrial strategies from overcapacity, better securing our supply chains, and reviewing outbound and inbound investment in sensitive sectors."

 

Sullivan highlights IMEEC potential amid West Asia disruptions

 

Regarding the IMEEC initiative, Sullivan reportedly stated that although it faced disruptions due to developments in West Asia (Middle East), he had personally engaged with key nations and leaders to ensure continued progress. 

 

"I've talked to the incoming administration about the enormous opportunity that it presents to deliver both growth and integration and a high standard alternative to what Beijing has on offer," Sullivan added.