India and US advance defense technology initiative

Building defense startup collaboration between India and the United States in the defense science and technology sector, jointly advancing defense technology innovation, establishing critical supply chains, and strengthening overall security ties are at the core of two initiatives launched by Washington and New Delhi in 2023.
The U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) was launched in January, and then it was taken to a higher level at a meeting held in Washington, DC on June 21, giving rise to the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X).
The Critical and Emerging Technologies Initiative was co-founded by Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and includes a broad framework to promote cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, including in areas such as space and defense, quantum communications, and semiconductors. The Washington-based U.S.-India Business Council, the organizer of the meeting, said the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem grew out of this framework, with the aim of promoting a collaborative military innovation ecosystem, as well as bilateral joint development and co-production.
The India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem will establish a joint working group to facilitate interaction between startups and delegations from both countries; launch a joint innovation fund to support startups based on a public-private partnership model; and establish partnerships with leading universities, business incubators, and accelerators.