[Answered] What is the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)? Discuss its significance.

The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) was launched by India and the US to expand the India-US partnership for critical and emerging technologies– that will drive global growth, bolster both countries’ economic competitiveness, and protect shared national security interests. The initiative is being run by the National Security Councils of both countries. The idea was first mooted on the margins of the Tokyo summit of the Quad last year.

Significance of iCET:

• The iCET could become a “game changer” in catalysing Indo-US technology cooperation by persuading the US to lift existing export control restrictions, and encouraging the private sector of both countries to cooperate in sensitive sectors.
• The most important outcome would be to remove the mistrust and to demonstrate a mutual commitment to investing in advanced technologies, such as quantum computing, AI and space, as well as the critical field of semiconductor design and manufacture.
• It could lend a newstrategic depth and breadth to the expanding engagement between India and the United States.
• The iCET involves collaboration in a range of areasincluding quantum computing, semiconductors, 5G and 6G wireless infrastructure, and civilian space projects such as lunar exploration.
• The iCET process will be monitored and drivenfrom the PMO in Delhi and the White House in Washington. It will hopefully bring greater coherence to this round of India-US technological engagement.
• iCET will forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries. The objective is to provide cutting-edge technologies to the rest of the world which are affordable.
• The initiative is also seen as an alignment of strategic, commercial and scientific approaches in the field of technology.

While many of these emerging technologies have huge future potential, both in the civil sector and the security domain, there are other areas — less esoteric but equally important on which iCET must focus urgently.