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US NSA Sullivan to push for Middle-East economic corridor in talks with Ajit Doval
Modi govt will thank Sullivan for his push to India-US ties. NSA Doval has already had two conversations with incoming NSA Mike Waltz.
New Delhi: Outgoing US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will be holding the third round of initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) dialogue with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Monday to maintain the strategic convergence between two natural allies and push for high technology transfer to India.
While some may think that it will be a farewell call from Sullivan, it is understood that the two sides will discuss how to operationalize the Middle-East Economic Corridor, which has been hit by the conflict in Gaza. Top officials say that the MEEC is all set to take off with Israel managing to emasculate Iran-backed militias in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria and signatories to Trump backed Abraham Accords are ready to join the economic wagon.
Even though NSA Ajit Doval has had two telephonic conversations with incoming US NSA Mike Waltz, India will lay out the red carpet for NSA Sullivan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting him and his national security planners feting him as the outgoing top official of the Biden administration has gone out of his way to provide India access to critical technologies as well as bring India-US close on strategic ties.
During his soon to be completed tenure, Sullivan not only pushed for the F-414 jet engine deal between US defence major GE and India’s HAL, he also supported India on manufacture of semiconductors as an alternate global supply chain to China's growing dominance. His support for US high-tech telecom technologies, weapon platforms, quantum computing and space for India has been noted by PM Modi and the Indian strategic community.
However, Sullivan, despite his young age, played a key part in putting pressure on Pakistan on cross-border terrorism against India and he also was the peacemaker when India-US tempers flared up on the Khalistani terrorist G S Pannun issue last year. The US NSA ensured that the India-US ties did not get derailed by daily anti-India rants by Pannun and also made sure that the Biden administration understood India’s sensitivities on Khalistani terrorism in Punjab and perceived support to these elements from Canada and UK.
In end-2024, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also paid a visit to Washington and met all top officials of the outgoing administration as well as new NSA Mike Waltz. The Indian Minister did not meet all those officials of the incoming Trump administration who need to be ratified by Capitol Hill. These meetings were planned well in advance so that there is no hic-up in India-US ties during the transition period.
