News Excerpt:

India and the UK unveiled a Technology Security Initiative designed to enhance telecommunications security and foster collaboration in critical areas such as minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and health technology.

• The Technology Security Initiative will refresh and deepen the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership, focusing on boosting economic growth in both countries.

More Details about the News

• This initiative was announced following the UK Foreign Secretary’s meetings with the Indian Prime Minister.
• Similar to an existing initiative with the US, the India-UK Technology Security Initiative will be coordinated by the National Security Adviser (NSA) of both countries.

• The collaboration will involve government bodies, the private sector, academia, and research institutions.
• During the meeting Roadmap 2030 for bilateral relations was reviewed.

Free Trade Agreement and Defense Cooperation

• Both nations noted significant progress in negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) and looked forward to its early conclusion for mutual benefit.
• They also agreed to enhance defense and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, and to address growing threats from non-state actors.

Broader Context of Technology Initiatives

• Besides the Technology Security Initiative with the UK, India has similar Initiatives on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) with the US and the European Union (Trade and Technology Council). 
• These initiatives aim to set standards and collaborate on cutting-edge technologies.

Specific Areas of Collaboration

• Under the Technology Security Initiative, India and the UK will establish a "Future Telecoms Partnership" focusing on joint research in areas like open Radio Access Network (open RAN) systems, telecoms security, spectrum innovation, software, and systems architecture.
• In the field of critical minerals, the two countries will expand collaboration and policy exchanges, improve supply chain resilience, and explore research and development partnerships.
• For semiconductors, they will work towards a broad partnership leveraging their strengths, focusing on supply chain resilience, skills exchanges, hardware security, and collaboration in chip design, compound semiconductors, and advanced packaging.
• In artificial intelligence, India and the UK will work towards "safe, responsible, human-centric and trustworthy AI" to promote global good and strengthen interoperability between their AI governance frameworks.
• They will also collaborate in multilateral forums like the G20, Global Partnership on AI, and the United Nations.
• In quantum computing, the two countries will establish a high-level dialogue to understand their respective national quantum strategies and shape future collaboration opportunities.
• In biotechnology, they will launch a high-level partnership on engineering biology to share knowledge and facilitate research advances.

• The UK and India also agreed to closer collaboration on climate change, accelerating their green energy partnership, particularly in offshore wind and green hydrogen, and unlocking green growth opportunities.

Funding Announcement

• A new £7-million funding call for future telecoms research was announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and India's Department of Science and Technology.