US assures India: once granted, technology access won’t be revoked
Krishnan urges trusted supply chains, warns against relying on one source
India presses pause on AI regulation as US assures tech access won’t be cut
At the Pax Silica Summit in the United States, India reiterated a cautious-but-progrowth stance on regulating emerging technologies, while receiving a firm assurance from American officials that once access to foreign technology is granted it will not be revoked. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the two-day summit, S. Krishnan, secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, struck a tone that blended openness to innovation with a clear-eyed view of strategic risks.
“Our position on regulation in this space is that right now it is still time for innovation. He added that the government is not dogmatic; if circumstances change, “we will not hesitate to” introduce safeguards.
Krishnan’s remarks capture a balancing act New Delhi has been attempting to perform: encouraging a domestic technology ecosystem that can experiment and grow, while remaining mindful of national security, economic dependencies, and ethical considerations. The secretary acknowledged that US counterparts had raised legitimate concerns over how advanced AI models might be used and the potential societal impacts they bring. According to Krishnan, American officials discussed internal review mechanisms being considered before releasing certain technologies.
Importantly, the US delegation signalled that partners receiving access to specific technologies should not fear sudden revocation. For Indian policymakers and industry leaders that assurance matters. It reduces the spectre of abrupt technology denial that could hobble startups, research projects, or critical infrastructure relying on foreign tools and platforms.
Beyond AI, Krishnan placed strong emphasis on supply-chain resilience. Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, he warned against overreliance on a single source of supply for key inputs, whether semiconductors, cloud services, or specialised hardware.
That call for multiple suppliers aligns with wider Indian policy priorities: boosting domestic manufacturing through initiatives such as Make in India, attracting diversified foreign investments, and building strategic partnerships that hedge supply risks. For companies operating in India, the message is twofold — greater space to innovate now, paired with an expectation that the state may step in to regulate when risks crystallise.
Krishnan’s comments also reflect tensions inherent in current global tech diplomacy. Democracies like India and the United States are navigating how to encourage cross-border collaboration without compromising sovereignty, security, or commercial competitiveness. The US reassurance on continued access may help lubricate tech collaborations and investment flows, but New Delhi’s insistence on preserving a long runway for innovation makes clear that India does not want to preemptively constrain its own tech ecosystem.
For researchers, startups and policymakers in India, the immediate implication is pragmatic: continue to innovate and scale, but do so with an eye on resilience — in talent, supply lines and governance frameworks. For international partners, the takeaway is that predictable access to technology matters, and commitments not to revoke access can build trust.
Krishnan left open the possibility of future regulation, signalling responsiveness rather than rigidity. If and when India decides the “time is right,” regulation will follow, shaped by domestic priorities and international norms. Until then, the Indian government appears to be buying the sector room to breathe — cautiously optimistic that innovation, combined with strategic diversification, will yield both economic growth and national security. Would you like this rewritten as a shorter news brief or an analysis piece?