India US Defence cooperation

#GS 02 International Relations

Initiative On Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET)

Initiative On Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) was announced in May 2022 to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership between US and India.
The ICET is perhaps better positioned to improve India-US defence ties since it comes at a time when India, too, has developed technological and managerial capacities and is emerging as a major economic power.

ICET have identified six focus areas of co-development and co-production:

S. has played a significant role in India’s development efforts and quest for technological capability since the 1950s.
While the Soviet Union gave immense support in areas like steel, heavy electricals, petroleum and mining, the U.S. was focused on modernising engineering and management education, science and technology (S&T), and agriculture.
It is significant to remember that U.S. helped build India’s first reactors for research and power.
But this cooperation was abruptly ended post Pokhran I (India’s first nuclear test) in 1974.
S. provided massive aid to modernise Indian education, especially engineering and management.
However, the economic stagnation in 1960s resulted in IIT and IIM graduates ending up in the U.S. economy.
The Bangladesh War of 1971 and the 1974 nuclear tests led to a three-decade estrangement between India and US.
However, in 1987, the U.S. agreed to assist India’s Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) programme and allowed the sale of front line GE 404 engine to India.
There was another round of sanctions after the 1998 nuclear tests, but due to challenge U.S. faced from China, it wanted better relations with India.
This ultimately resulted in the India-U.S. nuclear deal of 2008.
India is now deemed to be a Major Defence Partner, though not a Major Non-NATO Ally.