From iCET to TRUST: India/US Strategic Partnership for Peace and Stability

From iCET to TRUST: Advancing India-U.S. Strategic Partnership for Peace and Stability

This Round Table event explores the evolution of the India-U.S. strategic partnership through technological cooperation, from the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) launched in January 2023 to the more comprehensive TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology) initiative, which came into force in February 2025. Initially focused on priority sectors under iCET (such as semiconductors, space, and defence), the partnership now broadens to include AI, quantum, and collaborative space exploration. The speaker will discuss this progression, which emphasizes upon the growing need for explicit Technology Impact Assessment (TIA) frameworks to understand the ethical, legal, and social implications of critical emerging technologies under iCET and TRUST. The speaker will then highlight the importance of enhanced cooperation in areas such as Space Situational Awareness (SSA) for maintaining a stable and secure space environment, contributing to overall strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific region, where both nations have shared security interests. Initiatives like iCET and TRUST, aim to advance the bilateral relationship between India and U.S. towards greater peace and stability by fostering trusted technology ecosystems and resilient supply chains, where TIA plays a crucial role in ensuring responsible innovation.

Lead Speaker: Geetanjali Kamat, Manager – Legal & Policy, Digantara

Geetanjali is the driving force behind Digantara’s legal and policy framework, leveraging her knowledge of space law to expertly navigate the company through intricate regulatory landscapes. By leading contractual and regulatory affairs, she oversees the practical application of space law to the commercial space industry. Prior to her role at Digantara, Geetanjali worked as a corporate lawyer at a boutique Indian law firm. Her academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in law from the National Law Institute University, Bhopal and a ‘cum laude’ distinction from Leiden University’s Advanced LL.M. program in Air & Space Law.

This Round Table is part of the Project on Australia India Joint Technology Assessment of Critical Technologies for Peace and Stability. It will be chaired by Professor Greg Austin, co-Director of the Social Cyber Institute and Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney. A video recording will be available after the event.