According to a US Embassy spokesperson NSA Jake Sullivan will miss this week’s trip to India due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan has postponed his visit to India this week in wake of ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel after the former’s brazen missile attack on the Jewish nation this weekend.
According to a US Embassy spokesperson NSA Sullivan will miss this week’s trip to India due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and looks forward to holding the Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) annual review at the next earliest possible date.
“Due to ongoing events in the Middle East, NSA Sullivan has postponed his trip to India this week. NSA Sullivan looks forward to holding the Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) annual review at the next earliest possible date and remains personally committed to advancing our deeply consequential and multifaceted partnership with India,” the spokesperson said.
Notably, this is the second time in three months that NSA Jake Sullivan has postponed his visit to India. Sullivan was scheduled to travel to India earlier this year in February for the annual review meeting on iCET, but his plans changed due to the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Later, Sullivan was scheduled to visit New Delhi on April 7 but his trip to India has been postponed once again.
The spokesperson said that US President Joe Biden is also looking forward to the next meeting of the Quad leaders and “continuing our efforts with India to deliver results for the American and Indian people, as well as our partners, in support of our shared vision for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
In May 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden launched iCET to facilitate outcome-oriented cooperation in new and emerging technologies. iCET is co-led by the NSCS in India and the US National Security Council (NSC).
In February this year, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, while speaking at the second edition of INDUS-X Summit in New Delhi, highlighted robust defence partnership between India and the US, rooted in mutual respect and strategic convergence.
(With inputs from agencies)