US NSA: Progress likely in semiconductor deal soon

As India and the United States race to shore up deliverables for PM Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Wednesday there could be "substantial results" on bilateral collaboration in semiconductor supply chains as early as next week.

- Rezaul H Laskar

NEW DELHI: President Joe Biden has directed all wings of the US government to remove obstacles standing in the way of deeper defence trade and technology cooperation and the US is committed to meet India's requirements in key areas such as maritime domain awareness, Sullivan said, while declining to discuss specific defence deals such as supply of engines for India's homegrown fighter jets and possible sale of armed drones.

With US secretary of state Antony Blinken set to travel to China this week - the first such visit in five years - Sullivan told a small group of Indian journalists that such contacts are aimed at responsibly managing the competition with China so that it "doesn't enter a downward spiral". The "core elements" of Washington's approach towards Beijing remain unchanged and the US will work with allies and partners to compete with China in areas ranging from economics to military deterrence, he said.