US trusts India with critical tech despite concerns about Russia: Campbell

The US is concerned about India’s continuing relationship with Russia possibly affecting some elements of the growing Indo-US partnership in critical technologies but it has confidence and trust in the country and seeks to advance the partnership, Kurt Campbell, US Deputy Secretary of State has said.

“We are seeking to develop a much deeper and stronger technological relationship between US and India. We are clear which areas are affected by the continued relationship between India and Russia militarily and technologically. We will take what steps we can to mitigate some of those engagements. And we have expressed some concerns. But at the same time we have confidence and trust in India and we are seeking to advance our partnership in technology,” Campbell said in response to a question on concerns about Russia at an online press conference on Wednesday.

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India and the US are both great powers and there are many areas of alignment, he said. 

“But it is not surprising that there would be areas where we have perhaps different perspectives because of historical ties,” Campbell added.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and  Campbell were in India last week for the meeting of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET). The meeting was chaired by India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Sullivan.

India is amongst a small group of countries with which the US works on technology and we have broad, bipartisan support for ties with India, Campbell said.

Since the launch of iCET in January 2023, there has been significant deepening of partnership  across key technology sectors including space, semiconductors, advanced telecommunications, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, and clean energy, the Deputy US Secretary of State said, adding that bureaucratic challenges were also being addressed.

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“We have established key working groups that will together tackle bureaucratic challenges in both countries that have proved to be obstacles to the relationship,” he said.

On engagements in the area of semiconductors, Campbell said India’s ambitions were great in the area and it will play a key role in supply chain design.

The issue of the next meeting of the Quad–an alliance between India, the US, Japan and Australia– was discussed between Sullivan and Doval and both expressed determination on holding the meeting this year, he pointed out.

Answering questions on key defence deals, Campbell said that General Atomics was discussing its MQ-9 deal offer with the Indian government. On co-production of Stryker armoured vehicles, he said that while India had expressed interest it was still in the relatively early stages of the US army plans to demonstrate the capabilities of Stryker to the Indian army.