India, U.S to tighten export controls

India and the U.S. pledged to facilitate trade, strengthen bilateral ties, and streamline export controls for critical technologies at the India-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue (IUSSTD).

Image Credit: Shutterstock

India and the U.S. joined hands to streamline their export control regimes for critical technologies at the inaugural India-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue (IUSSTD). On June 6, senior delegations were led by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and the U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and Under Secretary for Commerce Alan Estevez met in Washington. Its aim is to enhance cooperation and efficiency in the export control regimes. 

According to a press release from the Indian Embassy, “IUSSTD focused on ways in which both governments can facilitate the development and trade of technologies in critical domains such as semiconductors, space, telecom, quantum, AI, defense, bio-tech and others.”

In the meeting, both parties reviewed the relevant bilateral export control regulations to build and diversify resilient supply chains for these strategic technologies.

Both parties agreed to increase awareness among the industry, academia and other stakeholders about the export control regimes through workshops and other activities.

Both sides recognized that the dialogue would be instrumental in facilitating co-production, co-development, and strengthened industrial collaborations in critical technologies.

On Tuesday, Kurt Campbell, the Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs in the National Security Council, said, “My hope is that this visit basically consecrates the U.S.-India relationship as the most important bilateral relationship with the United States on the global stage and that we effectively make it into sort of escape velocity.”