Ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India next week, a delegation of top officials from the US National Security Council is expected to arrive in the country to lay the groundwork for a rejuvenation of the bilateral advanced technology partnership.
According to people aware of the details, the US delegation and its Indian counterparts will focus their efforts on the TRUST initiative, which was launched in February 2025 to drive cooperation on semiconductors, artificial intelligence, space, biotechnology and other crucial tech sectors.
The visit gains importance given the strategic value of TRUST for both countries. Although a legacy of the Biden administration - when it was known as the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies - the initiative was re-christened and carried forward once President Trump took office.
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However, the people cited above acknowledged that getting TRUST off the ground has proven harder than anticipated over the last two years. Washington, they said, initially preferred to pursue flexible case-by-case cooperation with India rather than build up a highly structured platform like TRUST, which is driven by the national security advisers of both countries. Despite this, India’s continued advocacy for the initiative has brought Washington on side.
{{/usCountry}}However, the people cited above acknowledged that getting TRUST off the ground has proven harder than anticipated over the last two years. Washington, they said, initially preferred to pursue flexible case-by-case cooperation with India rather than build up a highly structured platform like TRUST, which is driven by the national security advisers of both countries. Despite this, India’s continued advocacy for the initiative has brought Washington on side.
{{/usCountry}}The people cited above also said both sides now recognise that reviving TRUST - complete with a more frequent dialogue between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval - will ensure support from the White House and the Indian Prime Minister’s office for vital tech initiatives.
Rubio and Doval last met in May 2025 during the former’s four-day visit to New Delhi. India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated at the time that the TRUST initiative featured in their discussions. However, it is presently unclear of the two senior officials during Rubio’s upcoming visit to India.
“He will meet with senior government officials to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership, exchange views on regional and global dynamics, and discuss prospects for enhanced energy cooperation. Secretary Rubio will also meet with business leaders to promote opportunities for commercial investment and economic cooperation,” a State Department release noted on Tuesday.
The TRUST initiative has four key components. The first is an AI Infrastructure Roadmap, which envisions the buildout of US-origin artificial intelligence infrastructure in India by “identifying constraints in financing, power, connectivity, and regulatory approvals”. The second element is critical minerals cooperation involving recovery, processing, and recycling of strategic minerals such as lithium and rare earths. A third component is supply chain security, including an effort to reduce reliance on Chinese pharmaceutical APIs while also inviting American investments in India’s biopharma sector. Finally, the two sides hope to forge closer ties between industry and academia partnerships in areas like space, biotechnology and energy.