As per sources, India and US is set to hold the first meeting on Strategic Trade Dialouge on June 4-5, in order to implement the results of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) by streamlining export controls, enhancing high-tech commerce, and facilitating tech transfer between the two countries.The first iCET interaction between both the nations national security advisors were held on January 31, and when US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo visited India on March 10 to relaunch the bilateral commercial dialogue, the decision was made to hold the strategic trade meeting.To finalise the preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to the White House on June 22 to meet US President Joseph Biden, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra will fly to the US early the following month. He will meet with Under-Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez.As part of the vital engagement of the Far Pacific nations, PM Modi and President Biden are set to meet during the G-7 summit in Japan from May 19 to 21, the QUAD summit on May 24, and at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on May 22. As part of Indias overall engagement with the Far Pacific, PM Modi will offer the island nation a USD 100 million credit line, while the US is anticipated to strengthen defence cooperation with PNG to counter the growing security presence of China in the neighbouring Solomon Islands.Kwatra is expected to make sure that all obstacles under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) are removed for US companies to work together and produce high-tech systems in India, such as aircraft engines, munition technologies, and armed drones, as part of India and the US engagement, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.According to the information, before Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to the US, the US is anticipated to approve General Electrics application to jointly construct F-414 jet engines in India for the Tejas Mark II. This is according to diplomats located in Washington and New Delhi. To move the production of F-414 engines to India, US defence firm GE is also in contact with its supporting partners in the EU. To counter the Chinese threat of armed drones along the LAC, the US is also prepared to provide military drones to India.
